#so it’s a subtle hint that you’re ignoring me and/or don’t really want to talk to me

[aleskie]

YOU DON'T NEED TO LIFT A FINGER | Jack Hughes x Fem!Reader

SUMMARY: When a guy just cannot get the hint, Jack makes sure to put him in his place. He's got your back. Always.

Warnings: none!! pure fluff and jack gets protective!! Full discloure, this is for realsies Fem!Reader!! Author's Note: This was supposed to come out a dayyyyys ago but Tumblr was NOT letting me post my drafts 😭😭 my poor therapist spent an hour watching me crash out about it najsjsshjjk

You were beautiful.

Of course you were.

In Jack’s eyes, you were the most beautiful creature to ever walk the earth.

Which is why he understands why you get hit on. He really does. Hell, once upon a time, he was hitting on you. And he still hits on you, even now, years into the relationship, because you’re worth it. Because you light up rooms without even trying. Because he’s always been a sucker for the way you roll your eyes and smile at his cheesy attempts to be smooth with you.

You’re beautiful and smart and funny, and you’re so effortlessly charming—of course people would want you for themselves. He gets it. He really does. And honestly, there’s a part of him that loves it. He loves that people notice those qualities about you, that they see in you what he sees every day. It feels like validation, like the universe itself is confirming that he’s the luckiest guy alive. He basks in the knowledge that no matter how many people give you those hungry looks and shitty pick-up lines, he’s the one you're coming home with, his hand resting possessively on your hip as he gives all those people a smirk, his claim laid without him even lifting a finger.

What he doesn’t love is when people don’t take the damn hint.

And you give a lot of hints.

Take this guy right here—Dave, or Doug, or whatever his name is—He’d somehow wiggled his way into the booth you guys shared with your friends for a night out and, while he seemed harmless at first, he was now solely focused on you. And your legs that were highlighted by the body shimmer Jack helped put on you earlier tonight (his fingers still slightly shimmering to prove it—a badge of honor, in his opinion).

You’d been giving him that polite, fake smile since he joined in—the one Jack knows so well and that always makes him chuckle, the one you use when you’re being patient but are clearly not enjoying yourself—and you’ve barely paid him any attention, save for a few fake laughs and an “Oh, that sounds cool” every so often as Darren, or Dino, continues to brag about himself, not even trying to ask about you (a grave mistake, Jack thinks, since you were the most interesting person he knew).

Jack wonders if this guy even realizes you’ve been leaning against Jack this entire time, your head on his shoulder and his hand resting on your upper thigh, or if he’s chosen to ignore that in favor of trying (and failing) to shoot his shot. Better yet, does he even recognize Jack is here, drink untouched and jaw tightening as he watches Danny (or was it Dylan) lean in just a little too close?

Jack glances at you. You’re still handling it with grace, of course you are. You always do. But he knows you. He sees the subtle tension in your shoulders, the way you lean further against him to put some distance between you and Dexter, the way your fingers tighten around your glass, and he knows you’d rather not have to deal with this.

He shifts slightly and stands, leaning forward to smile at the intruder, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Hey, Diego, right?” he says. His tone is casual, even pleasant, but there’s steel underneath it.

“It’s Dave, actua—”

Jack extends a hand, cutting through the guy’s attempt at small talk. “Right, yeah. Sorry to interrupt, but I think my girlfriend and I are gonna go dance now.”

He puts an emphasis on girlfriend, just to make sure this guy gets the point.

Jack gives you a soft look, the kind that makes your breath hitch just a little, and you immediately stand up, reaching for him. His arm wraps around you instinctively, his touch steady and familiar. You can already feel the tension in his body lessening now that he has you close, now that he’s leading you away from whatever-his-name-is and back into the safe, easy rhythm of you and him.

But before you can leave, the guy speaks again.

“Sorry, man, didn’t realize she was yours. You know how women are. With that dress and those legs, she was totally leading me on.”

Jack freezes.

For a second, the world seems to pause, almost like he couldn’t believe what was coming out of this guy’s mouth, like he didn’t want to believe anyone could be that stupid.

Slowly, he straightens, turning back toward the guy—Dave or Doug or whatever his name was—with a look so calm it’s almost serene. Too calm. And that’s how you know Jack is angry.

Not the playful kind of angry, where he pretends to pout when you steal the last fry or kiss him everywhere but his lips. Not the frustrated kind, like when he can’t find his keys for the third time that week or when he’s had a particularly bad game.

No, this is something deeper. Colder. Controlled.

His fingers graze your arm lightly, a small, grounding touch meant just for you. It’s subtle, but you know what it means. I’ve got this. You don’t need to lift a finger.

Jack tilts his head ever so slightly. “You wanna say that again?” His voice is so even it borders on soft, a quiet thing wrapped in steel.

Dave—or Dino or Darryl—seems to think Jack is inviting him to elaborate, which is perhaps the worst decision he’s made all night.

“I’m just saying, y’know,” Dave shrugs, his tone shifting to something almost conspiratorial, like he thinks Jack might actually agree with him if he just explains it better. “When women dress like that, you can’t blame a guy for—”

“Yeah, I’m gonna need you to shut up before I do something we both regret.”

Jack doesn’t raise his voice. He doesn’t have to. The weight of his words alone is enough to send a ripple of silence through the space between them.

Dave blinks, the beginning stages of intimidation creeping onto his face. He glances at you, as if expecting backup, but you’re already leaning back against the wall, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised as you watch Jack dismantle him.

There’s a small smirk on your lips. Because this? This was a sight you didn’t get to see in public too often.

Many times, people assumed your lovely boyfriend—so easygoing, so effortlessly charming—would lack the sharpness to cut someone down when needed, would stick to uhmms and ahhhs and crassness.

They mistook his laid-back nature for passivity, his warmth for softness. But you knew better. Your Jack could be quite a wonder with words when he wanted to be. He didn’t need to be loud to command attention. He didn’t need to throw a punch to land a hit.

So you hang back and let him handle this one, finding comfort in the thought of his arms around you later, his breath warm against your ear as you danced the rest of the night away.

“Listen, buddy,” Jack continues, stepping closer. His tone is light, almost conversational, but there’s no mistaking the edge beneath it. “You don’t talk to anyone like that. You definitely don’t get to talk to her like that. You hear me?”

“God, c’mon, man! No need to get all—”

“I already told you to shut up.” Jack’s scowl deepens. His words are slow, deliberate. “The fact that she was polite enough to give you the slightest bit of attention doesn’t mean she was hitting on you. Whatever you thought was going on tonight? Not an invitation.”

Dave—Dino? Derek?—opens his mouth, probably to dig himself into an even deeper hole, but stops when Jack leans in slightly, just enough to make his presence feel heavier. Like a storm cloud about to break.

“She’s kind,” Jack says, voice quieter now, deadlier. “So she tolerated you. But she doesn’t owe you a fucking thing.”

The last of Dave’s bravado starts to crumble. His shoulders inch inward, his gaze flickering around the booth, searching for an exit, for reinforcements—for anything that might save him from this moment.

Jack watches him for a second longer, then exhales sharply, like he’s already bored. “You think being desperate and cocky gets you the girl,” he says, shaking his head. “But I don’t need any of that to keep her by my side.” His fingers brush against yours, finding their place like they always do. “And we don’t need to waste any more time entertaining douchebags like you.”

Jack steps back, his hand sliding fully into yours as he finally tears his gaze from Daniel? Don?—who cares?—and looks at you instead. The shift is immediate, his features easing, the sharpness in his eyes softening into something familiar. Something yours.

“Let’s go, babe,” he says simply, his voice lighter now, more like himself.

And just like that, the moment is over.

As you stand, letting Jack guide you away from the booth, you hear Dave mutter something under his breath—something weak and defensive that doesn’t deserve acknowledgment. It’s the kind of parting shot people throw out when they know they’ve lost. Neither of you glance back.

The music swells around you, the bass thrumming beneath your feet, but Jack doesn’t lead you straight to the dance floor. Instead, he pulls you toward a quieter corner, away from the crowd, where the lights are dimmer, the world a little smaller.

He exhales, then wordlessly nestles his head in the crook of your shoulder.

You smile, running your fingers through his hair, your nails lightly grazing his scalp. He sighs at the touch, his arms slipping around your waist as he lets himself melt into you for just a moment. You press a soft kiss to his hair, breathing him in, grounding both of you in something steady, something real.

After a beat, he tilts his head up, a sheepish grin playing at his lips. “Did I go overboard?”

You roll your eyes fondly, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. “You were absolutely perfect,” you murmur, leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek.

His grin widens, boyish and bright, and just like that, the weight of the night lifts. He tugs you closer, his arm tightening around your waist as he starts to sway you to the music. You laugh as he spins you unexpectedly, sneaking in kisses between the DJ’s transitions, his lips catching your temple, your jaw, the curve of your shoulder.

The man who bothered you is forgotten. The tension, the sharp edges of the night—gone.

All that’s left is this. You and him and the music. The warmth of his hands on you, the sound of your laughter melting together, the rest of the world fading into nothing.

[abbysplaything]

Just Friends ?

Bsf!abby x fem reader

You and Abby both share a dorm in college, by chance. Becoming close friends throughout the year, learning more about each other’s bodies. Nothing about your relationship is inherently romantic, besides all those times you’ve caught her staring and vice versa, as well as the small, subtle touches. You’ve always felt like the line between friends and something more is a little more blurred than in most friendships. A small crush couldn’t possibly hurt your friendship that badly, right?

You can’t help but notice her physique, it’s impossible to miss. Abby is anything but small. The way her clothes fit her, hugging her in just the right places, highlighting her figure. Abby’s hot. Wayy too hot to remain just friends. But what are you supposed to do?

You’ve been friends all this time, it’s not like you can just go up to her and ask her out…“Hey Abby, I know we’re super close friends, but I reallyy want to fuck you.”, It’s an incredibly stupid idea. That’s why you need to focus on yourself, not her or her stupidly charming smile, big strong hands, or her stomach when her shirt rides up just the teeniest amount while stretching.

How hard can it be to maintain a friendship with the hottest girl on campus, especially when she’s only at arms reach? You can tell yourself to back off all you want, but deep down you know, you want need to fuck Abby Anderson.

“Hey…Abby?” Redirecting her attention during her study sessions is off limits, according to Abby, she needs all the seconds she can get, which is stupid, everything comes naturally to her.

Abby sighs, takes a pause to look up at you then back down at her notebook. “What’s the matter now? You’ve already called me like a million times since I’ve sat down.”, Obviously annoyed, Abby still finds time to cater to your needs.

“I know, I'm sorry, it’s just—I really need to talk to you about last night”, after all this time, you haven’t been able to bring uo to Abby the real reason you’ve been pestering her. “I know I shouldn’t be making a big deal out of it, but I’ve been thinking about it and it’s been fucking with me.” Nervously playing with your hair, you wait for Abby to react. She keeps herself collected, as usual, right now, it doesn’t exactly soothe you as a normally would. Abby’s silence bothers you, as if she’s ignoring you. You contemplate calling out her again, before she readjusts herself to face you.

She drops what she’s doing, now focused on the conversation you opened up. Now staring up at you from her desk, Abby looks tense, like she’s bothered by your issue as well. Her hands sit gently on her lap, they look so fucking good, her legs spread—not too much, but enough for you to get a real good look at everything. “There’s not much to talk about, what happened, happened.”, all she gives you is a lazy response, pretending not to understand why you’ve brought this up.

Frustrated, you move off the bed and walk over to her desk. Now you’re staring right down at her. And her pretty little eyes, looking up at you, just the way she knows you like. You have to restrain yourself from giving in and throwing yourself all over her. “You didn’t forget what happened last night did you?” You lower your voice as if it’s a secret, not like it ever had a chance with all the noise you made. “Don’t you remember what we did?” You look around nervously, regretting mentioning this.

Abby scoffs, relaxing back into her chair a little more. “Of course, I remember, how could I forget? You were so noisy.”Abby says, mockingly, looking you up in down with a hint of amusement in her eye. Abby rests her elbows on the arms of the chair, swiveling a bit. “Why’d you wanna talk about this, what’s bothering you?”, She’s beginning to get what you’re hinting at, you want to establish a title, be more than just friends, as if you ever were.

“Abby, I— what are we? Are we just friends? Best friends? Something more?” Your embarrassment showing through your words, more so through your body language; you’re practically sweating, your body so hot Abby could probably feel the heat coming off of you from her chair. “I don’t wanna push anything on you, I’m just confused. I don’t mean to overstep or anything. I totally get it if you just wanna be casual. But don’t you think it’s weird to, you know, fuck your friends?” Now you’re just begging Abby to give you some reassurance, that she wasn’t using you, she meant all of the things she’d whispered in your ear. You wanted her to mean all of it.

She reaches out for your waist, with one hand, rubbing circles with her thumb and the other pressing against your lower back, just above your ass. “Why are you so stressed about this, I like fucking you…but if you dont feel the same way then…” she rolls her eyes, “who am I kidding, I know you love it just as much as I do, moans never lie.” She says slyly, wearing her stupid smirk, Abby looks so fucking hot, when doesn’t she? It pisses you off. Why does she have to look like that? It’s annoying, how does she expect you to control yourself when that’s just what she looks like, never mind the physical touch…

“So what if I like to fuck my best friend? Didn’t hear you complain last night, so…just stop worrying about it. Besides, we weren’t ever gonna stay just friends, I think you know that.” She pulls you in, you’re now leaned over her, grabbing onto the arm rests. As she moves her hands up towards your hair, she grabs a fistful; pulling you down onto her mouth, sloppyily kissing you, your favorite way. You lean into it, arching your back as you moan out.

You couldn’t stop if you tried, Abby was right. You were never cut out to just be friends with her, you needed this.

────────── ۶ৎ ─────────

Requests - open , Masterlist - Here ⋆. 𐙚 ˚

[adelheidvonschicksal]

hii id like to request a how l&d boys act when they're jealous :3 feel free to ignore if u don't feel like it or thanks in advance if u do!! love your works sm xx

How the Boys Act When They’re Jealous

Pairing: xavier x gn!reader, rafayel x gn!reader, zayne x gn!reader

A/N: The game needs more jealous Zayne, and Lost in your eyes moments with Raf. Thanks for waiting! <3

Xavier is an absolute menace.

He’s extremely possessive over you, and he’s well aware of it.

You care a lot about him, but good luck stopping him from being a jealous dummy any time soon. He already knows Jeremiah doesn’t have feelings for you, but is that going to stop him from spraying the other man with a plant mister when he gets to close? Nope.

Luckily for Jeremiah, Xavier likes him. They’re friends. The other man finds it funny to even tease him a little by poking at that jealous side. Everyone else doesn’t have the same privilege.

When he's not glaring, Xavier tries to be subtle about, dropping hints here and there about how you’re his lover. He’ll interrupt your conversations with other men when they drag on too long, so he can talk with his partner, his neighbor, his napping buddy.

Suddenly, everything he says can be taken the wrong way. He mentions how he had a good time sleeping together (when it was literal sleeping). He says the two of you should got out to dinner again or that the lunch you made him for work was very tasty (really you wanted to avoid the apartment complex catching on fire). He might also “jokingly” state within hearing distance of your new friend that the two of you act like a married couple. It’s not his fault if someone takes it the wrong way; you don’t have to look so embarrassed about it.

Xavier likes to flaunt his status a little; he fixes your hair and dusts off your clothes. He would do this for you even if he wasn’t jealous, but it’s a bonus that it gets others to back off and gets your attention on him with your cute little pout.

Worse comes to worst, he isn’t afraid of using underhanded methods to fail any attempt at someone else trying to steal you away from him; even if that means knocking out the streetlights with his Evol to get your coworker to go home early (who even takes 20 minutes to say goodbye anyway? Someone with ill intentions, that’s who.).

He’ll deny it. Deny. Deny. Deny. He’s not jealous. He just wants to know more about your friend. How long have you known each other? Do you go out at night together? Why not invite him sometimes? It takes a few pokes to get him to admit it.

Jealous Xavier can be a moody Xavier; he’s usually calm and easygoing, patient with most of the world except with those who try to flirt with you, and you, if you should flirt back. Though, he has no problem reminding you why he is the only one you should have eyes for whether it be through words, action, or…other methods best left after dark.

It’s obvious when Rafayel is jealous.

It starts as jokes, usually, with a light dust of jealousy like sprinkles on a donut.

“What’s your new friend like? Are they more fun than me,” he asks, trying to coax you into admitting how much more you like him, a little to assuage his jealousy and a little to stroke his own ego.

He’s confident in being your partner and having a bond that has lasted millenniums. So, when a random likes you, it’s usually not a huge deal. He can confidently deal with it, wrapping an arm around your waist or shoulder and putting on his charm as he calls you honey with a lift to his voice, as if he didn’t notice the person who was trying to flirt with you.

His jealousy can even be funny sometimes even cute. He’ll get this pouty look on his face whenever you place your attention on animals, cooing and petting them. He even gets jealous of your dear child, Reddie, from time to time. You love that clumsy fish so much. It couldn’t even stop itself from being caught by humans. Why would you want to play with Reddie so much when you already got a fish you can pet. Please pet him.

 When his jealousy gets really bad though, he can be snippy. He’s vindictive, asking if you forgot about him and if you wouldn’t rather hang out with your other boyfriend. His jokes become a little less funny and a little meaner, and he’ll be quick to demand an explanation in a voice a little tighter and bitter than you’re used to from him.

If you get mad and try to leave, he’s pulling you back. He doesn’t actually want you to go but he’s too stubborn to admit that maybe he’s being jealous over nothing.

He just doesn’t want you to forget him again.

On the other hand, seeing you jealous? He eats it up. 

Zayne doesn’t like his jealousy.

He tries to play it cool and be mature about these things. He’d never interrupt you talking to another person, but he most definitely watches the situation out the corner of his eye. He wants to digest every word and every bit of body language he can about the situation, going as far as pretending to work to have an excuse to stay and listen in.

Zayne wants to be rational about things, but he’s never been completely rational when it comes to you. You have a bad way of making him act out of character (or passionately as you call it).

This emotion always sneaks up on him unexpectedly and makes him clumsier than normal. He’ll give himself away easily, asking about your plans with the other person or if you noticed the lovesick puppy look they gave you when you looked their way. It makes him blush when you mention that you adore his puppy eyes more. If he says he doesn’t do that, well, you’ll simply have to call Dr. Greyson and Yvonne to back you up.

Zayne can be very picky about other people trying to take your time, like not wanting someone else to dance with you or take you out to a new tourist location; he always promises his free time to you, the little he has of it, so he requests that you wait for him. He’ll accompany you wherever you want to go.

Zayne is very jealous of others who can make you laugh. He really likes how easygoing, talkative, and animated you are so he gets insecure when someone else can make you act that way better than he can; however, he feels selfish because you’re happy and that should be enough.

In the end, he blames himself for his own jealousy, questioning if he read too much into the situation or in your relationship. He’s the quickest to apologize for his jealousy if you pick up on it.

When Zayne thinks you are pursuing someone else, he becomes blunter. He suddenly has a lot more relationship advice about being careful who you keep in your company and warning you to make sure there’s no doubt when deciding on something important like your partner. He also tends to cut conversations about any other potential partner you might like short and unintentionally be rude to your love interest.

That’s not to say he won’t try to win you over; when push comes to shove and the risk of losing you becomes too great, he isn’t afraid to finally tell you how he feels in the best way he can. All he can do is try. 

If you don’t like him back, he will allow jealousy to silently have him, choosing to suffer in it, as long as you’re happy with whoever you choose.

However, that does not mean he has to like your partner as well. And if they ever hurt you, he rather not think of what he’d do if that should happen.

[khioneee]

toji is grumpy, but affectionate.

his grumpiness was a given, but beneath that perpetual scowl, there was a man starved for your affection—and when he didn’t get it, things could get complicated.

‘yeah, yeah. you’re cute. just stop smiling at me like that,’ he mutters, looking away as you hand him a grocery list. his rough tone contrasts with the warmth flickering in his eyes, but he’ll be damned if he lets you catch him enjoying the sight of your grin.

‘i don’t like people, but you’re an exception,’ he grumbles, tugging at the collar of his shirt as you both enter a crowded party. you’d dragged him here, promising it wouldn’t be so bad. he didn’t want to come, but for you? he always did.

‘you’re talking too much,’ he says, voice low and impatient as you rambled angrily about your day. before you can finish, he grabs you by the waist, pulling you against him with a huff. ‘just shut up and let me hold you.’ and you do, nestling into his chest, his arms wrapping around you as if he’s been waiting for this all day.

but today? you missed every single one of his hints—his lingering glances, the little touches on your arm, even the way he stayed annoyingly close. now, with his arms crossed and a deep frown etched on his face, toji leans against the wall, glaring at you like you committed a crime.

‘you really didn’t notice, huh?’ he grunts, annoyance laced in his voice. he’s been subtle—or at least, what he thinks is subtle—and now he’s pissed you didn’t pick up on it.

‘notice what?’ you ask, confused but amused by his sulky demeanor.

toji clicks his tongue, running a hand through his hair in frustration. ‘you’ve been ignoring me all day, and now i gotta ask for it outright?’

before you can respond, he grabs your wrist, pulling you into him in one swift motion. his strong arms wrap around you, holding you so tight it’s almost possessive. ‘there,’ he mutters against your hair. ‘now stay. and don’t move until i’m done.’

and just like that, the tension melts away. toji may act grumpy, but all he really wants is your affection and once he has it, he’s not letting go anytime soon.

[dippindaz]

Robin x girl reader who she crushes on who is super girly and super popular and super into Robin … even makes her friends go to Scoops Ahoy

Thank you for requesting! I love Robin’s character and Maya Hawke is sooooo gorgeous!

Entirely fluff and awkwardness :)

The fluorescent lights of Starcourt Mall always had a way of making the world feel like it was encased in bubblegum. Everything was vibrant, alive, a little too shiny—and yet, you couldn’t get enough. Scoops Ahoy sat like a beacon in the middle of the chaos, the nautical-themed ice cream shop that had become your favorite spot for reasons you hadn’t exactly shared with your friends.

“Seriously, why are we here again?” one of them whined, flipping her glossy hair over her shoulder as she scrolled through her compact mirror.

“Because I’m craving a triple scoop of mint chocolate chip,” you lied smoothly, tugging your friends along as you practically skipped toward the counter.

You didn’t even look at the menu. You didn’t have to. Your focus was already locked on the counter, where Robin Buckley was leaning against the register, fidgeting with the brim of her ridiculous sailor hat.

She was talking to her co-worker, Steve Harrington, but you noticed the subtle way her eyes kept flicking toward the door, as though she was waiting for something—or someone. The thought made your stomach flutter.

You smiled, tilting your head in what you hoped was a casual, disarming way. “Hey, Robin,” you called as you approached the counter, your voice a little too bright.

Her head shot up, and for a moment, there was that look—the one you’d been hoping for, the one that made her blue eyes widen just slightly before she composed herself. “Oh, uh, hey! Back again, huh?”

You shrugged, resting your elbows on the counter as your friends groaned in the background. “What can I say? You make a mean scoop.”

Steve snorted, clearly amused, but Robin shot him a glare that could’ve frozen the ice cream behind her. “Ignore him. What’ll it be today?”

Your friends placed their orders begrudgingly, but when it was your turn, you lingered, propping your chin on your hand as you watched Robin scoop ice cream with practiced ease.

“So, Robin,” you began, feeling bolder than usual. “How’s life in the high seas treating you?”

She blinked at you, clearly caught off guard, before breaking into a shy smile. “Oh, you know. Swabbing the deck, dodging mutinies. The usual.”

It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make your heart race.

Robin handed you your cone with a slight quirk of her lips, her fingers brushing yours in the exchange. It was fleeting—probably nothing, realistically—but you felt the warmth linger as though she’d branded it there.

“You’re getting pretty good at this whole sailor thing,” you teased, taking a small, deliberate lick of your ice cream. “Might want to be careful. They’ll promote you to captain soon.”

Her cheeks flushed faintly, and she ducked her head to busy herself with organizing the counter, even though it was already spotless. “Yeah, well, don’t hold your breath. The perks of this gig top out at free ice cream.”

“And yet, you wear that hat so well.”

Steve let out an exaggerated cough that sounded suspiciously like he was trying to hint at something, but you ignored him, watching Robin instead.

Her smile grew, just enough to make her look like she might actually be enjoying this, even if she didn’t quite know how to respond. “So,” she said, fidgeting with the scoop in her hand. “Are you, uh… planning to stick around the mall today?”

Your heart leaped at the question. It wasn’t much—just small talk, really—but the hope in her voice wasn’t lost on you.

“Maybe,” you said, pretending to be nonchalant as you leaned against the counter. “Depends. Are you offering a guided tour of Scoops Ahoy? Or, better yet, free samples?”

This time, she laughed outright, a soft, warm sound that sent a thrill through you. “I think my boss would kill me if I started handing out freebies to every pretty girl who walked in.”

You froze. Robin froze.

Her face turned crimson as she realized what she’d said, and she immediately began stammering. “I mean—not that I think you’re—I mean, not that you’re not—but I didn’t mean—”

“Relax, Buckley.” Steve’s voice cut through her panic, lazy and amused as he leaned against the wall of the counter. “Pretty sure she’s into it.”

Robin glared daggers at him, but you couldn’t stop the grin spreading across your face. “Well, I can’t exactly deny it,” you said, your voice light. “You do have good taste.”

Robin blinked at you, clearly caught between mortification and disbelief.

Steve muttered something under his breath about getting out of the splash zone before retreating to the back of the shop, leaving the two of you alone at the counter.

You leaned in just slightly, your voice softening. “For the record, I think you’re pretty cute too.”

Robin stared at you like she wasn’t sure if this was real. “Y-you do?”

“Yeah,” you said with a wink. “And I wouldn’t mind more guided tours—or, you know, just seeing you around.”

Her lips parted, but whatever response she might’ve had was cut off by a loud, impatient sigh from one of your friends.

“Are we done here?” they asked. “We’ve been standing in this ice cream shop forever.”

You shot them an apologetic look, then turned back to Robin, lowering your voice. “I’ll see you soon.”

And with that, you walked away, the sweet taste of mint chocolate chip on your tongue and the even sweeter thrill of Robin’s flustered expression burning in your memory.

—————————————————————————

The mall was buzzing with its usual weekend chaos, but you barely noticed as you strolled past shop windows, your friends chatting animatedly beside you. Your thoughts were elsewhere—back at Scoops Ahoy, replaying Robin’s flushed cheeks and the way her words had stumbled over each other like she could barely keep up with her own thoughts.

“She’s so into you,” one of your friends said, snapping you out of your daydream.

“What?” You blinked at her, hoping you hadn’t been caught staring off into space.

“Robin. The sailor girl,” she clarified, rolling her eyes. “Please don’t tell me you missed it. The way she was looking at you? That was, like, painfully obvious.”

Your heart skipped a beat, but you shrugged like it was nothing. “You think so?”

“I know so.” She nudged you playfully. “You’ve got her wrapped around your finger. So what’s the plan? Are you finally going to make a move, or is this going to be another one of your endless crushes that we have to hear about forever?”

You bit your lip, pretending to consider her words even as excitement bubbled in your chest. “I don’t know,” you said, feigning nonchalance. “Maybe I’ll just keep stopping by for ice cream and see what happens.”

The truth was, the idea of making a move—of being bold enough to tell Robin how you felt—terrified you. She was so different from anyone you’d ever been interested in before. She wasn’t just a crush; she was Robin, with her quick wit, her awkward charm, and the way she seemed completely unfazed by what anyone thought of her.

You spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the mall with your friends, but when they finally decided to head home, you found yourself backtracking—alone this time—toward Scoops Ahoy.

Robin was still behind the counter when you walked in, her sailor hat now slightly askew as she restocked napkins. She glanced up at the sound of the door and froze when she saw you, her expression shifting from surprise to something softer, almost hesitant.

“Back again?” she asked, her voice a little quieter this time.

“Couldn’t stay away,” you said with a smile, stepping up to the counter. “Besides, I think you owe me a tour.”

Robin’s mouth opened, then closed, and you could practically see the wheels turning in her head. For a second, you thought she might panic again, but then she set down the stack of napkins and leaned on the counter, mirroring your stance.

“Okay,” she said, her voice steadying. “Where do you want to start?”

Your grin widened. “Surprise me.”

Robin straightened, grabbing a spoon from the counter before gesturing for you to follow her around to the back. You slipped past the counter, ignoring the curious glance Steve shot you from where he was mopping the floor.

“This,” Robin began, holding up the spoon dramatically, “is the official Scoops Ahoy scooping utensil. Not just anyone can wield one of these, you know. It takes skill.”

You laughed, playing along. “And you’re the best of the best, right?”

“Obviously.”

She led you through the small, cramped space behind the counter, pointing out various ice cream tubs and joking about the “rigorous training” required to learn their names. But even as she kept up her playful commentary, you could tell she was nervous—her movements a little too quick, her jokes coming out slightly rushed.

When she finally turned to face you again, her eyes flicked to yours, and for a moment, the humor faded. “So… why are you really here?”

The question caught you off guard, but you didn’t look away. “Because I like talking to you,” you said simply.

Robin stared at you, her expression unreadable, and for a second, you worried you’d said too much. But then her lips curved into a small, almost shy smile, and she ducked her head.

“I like talking to you too,” she admitted, so quietly you almost didn’t hear her.

Robin’s words hung in the air, soft and uncertain, and your heart felt like it might burst. You didn’t want to push her too far, but something about the way she looked at you—like she wasn’t used to anyone paying attention—made you want to be brave.

“Good,” you said, your voice steady despite the way your stomach was doing somersaults. “Because I was starting to think you didn’t notice me.”

Robin blinked, caught off guard. “Are you kidding?” she said, a nervous laugh escaping her. “You’re, like, impossible not to notice. I mean, you’re…” She trailed off, gesturing vaguely toward you. “You.”

Your lips twitched into a smile. “Is that a compliment?”

She rubbed the back of her neck, her cheeks a deep shade of red. “Uh, yeah. Definitely. A compliment. A hundred percent.”

You took a small step closer, closing the distance between you. “For the record, I notice you too. A lot.”

Robin’s eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t move away. Instead, she glanced down at the spoon still in her hand, twisting it nervously. “Why me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The question broke your heart a little. How could she not see it?

“Because you’re smart,” you said softly. “And funny. And way cooler than you give yourself credit for. And because…” You hesitated, taking a breath. “Because every time I see you, my day gets better.”

Robin looked at you like she didn’t quite believe what she was hearing. Then, after a beat of silence, she said, “That’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair?”

“That you can just say stuff like that and not completely fall apart.”

You laughed, and the sound seemed to put her at ease, her shoulders relaxing just a little.

“Robin,” you said gently, reaching out to take the spoon from her hand and set it on the counter. “I think you’re amazing. And I’d really like to take you out sometime. If you want.”

For a moment, she didn’t say anything, her eyes darting between yours like she was searching for the catch. But then, slowly, she nodded. “Yeah,” she said, her voice soft but certain. “I’d like that.”

Your smile widened, and before you could stop yourself, you leaned in and pressed a quick, light kiss to her cheek. Robin froze, her face turning bright red, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she let out a breathless laugh, her lips curving into a shy smile.

“Wow,” she said, brushing her fingers over the spot where you’d kissed her. “You’re, uh, really good at this.”

“Only because I’ve been thinking about it for weeks,” you admitted with a grin.

Robin shook her head, still smiling as she glanced toward the front of the shop. “Steve is never going to let me live this down.”

“Who cares what Steve thinks?” you said, taking her hand in yours. “I think you’re worth it.”

She stared at your hand for a moment, then squeezed it gently, her smile soft and full of something you couldn’t quite put into words. “You’re really something else, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told,” you teased. “Now, how about that date? I hear that new diner is cozy on Friday nights say at… 7pm?”

Robin laughed, her nerves melting away as she stepped closer. “Yeah,” she said, her voice warm. “I think I’d like that.”

“I’ll pick you up then…” you murmured, your eyes flicking to her lips then back up.

You swung your foot out to turn yourself around but before you could, Robin placed a hand on your shoulder and quickly pressed her lips against yours, though she pulled back almost as swiftly.

You hadn’t expected it and you could feel the blood rushing to your cheeks.

“Thanks,” you giggled. “I’ll see you then.”

“Yeah, I’ll uh— I’ll see you.” She murmured.

You walked out from behind the counter, then walked backwards so you could look at Robin as you walked to the door of Scoops Ahoy. Robin was watching you, a smile plastered on her face and a laugh that melted your heart as you stumbled over your feet.

As you left the shop warmth overtook your chest and a giddiness that made you want to jump up and squeal wracked your brain. You could just feel it in your gut, this was the silly start to something really really good.

[gaybatmanenthusiast]

STOLEN GLANCES (oneshot)

(GALLY X M! READER)

⋆★ word count : 810

⋆★ warnings : n/a

⋆★ summary : M/N harbours a small crush on Gally but keeps it a secret out of nervousness. Unbeknownst to M/N, Gally is aware of his feelings and finds amusement in the way M/N acts around him.

⋆★ extra : this has been in the drafts for a whileee,,, I just didn’t like the writing to be honest but a fic is a fic so here we are

The Glade was buzzing with its usual activity. Runners were preparing for their daily venture into the Maze, Builders were reinforcing the walls, and the Cooks were bustling around preparing breakfast. Amidst all this, M/N tried to keep his eyes off the one person who made his heart race: Gally.

It wasn’t easy. Gally had a presence that was hard to ignore. Strong, confident, and always in control, he commanded respect without even trying. M/N couldn’t help but admire him from afar, his feelings a mixture of awe and a small, fluttering crush. He kept his distance, though, too nervous to let his feelings show.

“Hey, M/N!” Gally’s voice cut through M/N’s thoughts, making him jump. He turned to see Gally striding over, a small smirk playing on his lips. “You’re daydreaming again. What’s on your mind?”

M/N’s heart skipped a beat. “Uh, nothing much. Just thinking about the run today.”

Gally raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Really? Because it looked like you were thinking about something a lot more interesting.”

M/N felt his face heat up, he started picking at his skin nervously. “No, just... just the run.”

Gally chuckled, clapping a hand on M/N’s shoulder. “Relax, I’m just messing with you.” He lingered for a moment, his touch warm and reassuring, before heading back to his work.

M/N let out a breath he didn’t realise he was holding. Gally had that effect on him—making him nervous and flustered with just a few words. Little did he know, Gally found it endearing.

Throughout the day, M/N tried to focus on mapping the maze, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Gally. Every time he saw Gally, his stomach did a little flip. It was both thrilling and nerve-wracking, and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep his feelings hidden.

Later, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the runners came back and the rest of the gladers gathered for dinner, M/N found himself sitting across from Gally. The firelight cast flickering shadows, and Gally’s eyes seemed to glint with mischief.

“M/N, you’re awfully quiet tonight,” Gally observed, leaning forward. “Something on your mind?”

M/N fumbled with his fork, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. “Just tired, I guess.”

Gally smirked, clearly not buying it. “You know, if something’s bothering you, you can always talk to me.”

M/N swallowed hard, his nerves fraying at the edges. “I know. Thanks, Gally.”

Gally’s gaze softened, and for a moment, M/N thought he saw something deeper in those eyes. But the moment passed, and Gally leaned back, returning to his meal. “Just remember that, okay?”

M/N nodded, his heart pounding. He was grateful for Gally’s concern, even if it made him more nervous. As the night wore on, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Gally knew more than he let on.

The next morning, M/N was preparing to head into the Maze with Minho when Gally approached him again. “Hey, M/N. Be careful out there today, alright?”

M/N looked up, surprised by the concern in Gally’s voice. “I will. Don’t worry.”

Gally nodded, his expression serious. “Good. I don’t want anything happening to you.”

M/N’s heart soared at the words, but he forced himself to stay calm. “I’ll be fine, Gally. Promise.”

Gally’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile. “I’m holding you to that.”

As M/N ran through the Maze, his thoughts kept returning to Gally. The way he seemed to care, the subtle hints in his words and actions. It was almost as if Gally knew how he felt, but M/N couldn’t bring himself to believe it. Minho picked up on M/N’s mind wondering while running around, giving glances his ways but he decided not to mention it.

When he returned to the Glade that evening, exhausted but unharmed, Gally was there to greet him. “Made it back in one piece, I see.”

M/N smiled, feeling a rush of warmth. “Yeah. Like I said, nothing to worry about.”

Gally’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Good. Because I’d hate to lose my favourite runner.”

M/N’s breath caught, his heart pounding. “Gally, I...”

Gally held up a hand, his expression softening. “It’s alright, M/N. I know.”

M/N stared at him, wide-eyed. “You know?”

Gally nodded, stepping closer. “Yeah, I know. And for what it’s worth, I like seeing you nervous around me. It’s kind of cute.”

M/N’s face flushed, but he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his lips. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

Gally laughed, a sound that made M/N’s heart flutter. “Maybe. But I think we make a pretty good team, don’t you?”

M/N nodded, feeling a sense of relief and happiness he hadn’t expected. “Yeah. We do.”

As they stood together, the Glade bustling around them, M/N realised that maybe, just maybe, his feelings weren’t as hidden as he thought. And that was perfectly okay.

[chuchurio]

“Old as time.”

* Xavier x Gen!Reader * Synopsis: It's so hard not to spiral when you keep existing so far away. It's the only way things would be okay. . Sometimes it's hard to ignore what the heart wants. Genre: Angst, reincarnation, subtle hints of death (not really tho), pining, yearning. WC:650 a/n: This one's on the shorter side, but it's been haunting me and I just had to make it. Also, is it obvious I love yearning tropes? hehe :))

 Xavier stared at you quietly, and his thoughts could never form properly when he caught sight of you. He’s seen you countless times, centuries of fashions, a plethora of reunions that could never be if he let himself be known.

He knows it’s selfish. 

He’s done a close to perfect job. When he wants to, but sometimes the grief and yearning are too much even for him. He’d retaliate over his own rules, drawing a bit closer, deciding to have a conversation for just a minute longer. Other times, it got so bad that he decided to get involved in your life. 

It’s bad for both of you. It’ll always be bad. 

Like when he saw one of your royal court members make you laugh so loudly that it resonated into his bones, inwardly pleased that it was just as loud as the last era he heard it in. 

Or when your brows would furrow when you tried to form the characters of the alphabet on the scroll, delicately pressing the brush and repeating. 

Including when you raised a spear at his neck and glared at him with a disdain that had no other reason than being on the wrong side of history. He would watch from afar, silently killing any ally who wanted to take your life. 

What’s the point of stars aligning when you’ll only cross paths? 

He was your guiding light from afar, but he wanted more. Just so much more. 

But this time, you blocked his path. 

“You.” You keep your gaze on him, scanning the familiarity that lingers in your chest. 

Xavier blinked, a bit dumbfounded that you got in his way, trying to exit the work meeting, wanting to slip away before he bends the rules again. 

“How are you working solo?” You were speaking friendly, but there was an accusatory tone behind it. He fought the urge to smile. 

“Is that really important?” He watches the way your brows crinkle, down to the way your lips form a soft frown. 

“Yeah. You’re suspicious.” You would press your finger to your chin, curling as if that would let you read his mind. He was a sucker for it. 

“Seems you’ve caught me.” Xavier raises his hands up, no defiance as he surrenders to your accusations. You crack a smile, a light chuckle escaping from you. 

“You’re strange.” 

“Could say the same with you.” He’s doing it again. Going past the promised small talk. Past only glances, keeping a distance. It gets tiring when fate plays against him. 

“You don’t talk much.” You say softly, trying to analyze him from this proximity. 

He shrugged, “I prefer to go home right after missions,” he admitted to you, a slight lie. 

You eye him curiously, before your guard goes down. When time warps, he doesn’t know how many times he’s met you. He has spoken to you, but your introductions are rarer. 

Like today, you introduced yourself properly, it’s hard for him to keep composure when you’re extending a connection just like that. He wishes to repeat your name, call for you, but he shouldn’t. 

It’s a terrible ending every single time. 

His gaze softens for just a moment, “Xavier.” He responds respectfully, or at least he tells himself it’s to be proper. 

“Huh.. Something about you is familiar..” You started, looking at him as if he had the answer. He did, honestly, but he couldn't tell you that.

He’s too bright to be your shadow, too mellow to be your sun, 

But he’s bound to find you. 

You waved it off, not putting much thought into it, unaware of the whirlwind you sent him through. 

This time, he’s your upstairs neighbor. Next time, he might be your classmate again, and somewhere along the fractures of minutes, he’ll be completely yours.

And he ultimately left it to chance, breaking his rules once again, even if it’ll jeopardize both of you. He couldn’t help it. 

“How come?” 

[sephirthoughts]

Vincent's New Kid Just Dropped CH 17:

Back at the Valentine Household Where Things are a Little Too Quiet

prev. chap here

RATING: teen and up for some swears, PG-rated physical affection, and references to mature topics, such as household management

WARNINGS: a baby's wet diaper is changed onscreen. proceed with appropriate caution/approved safety equipment

Summary:

not the longest chapter but there was not a less awkward place to cut it and i didn't want it to be like 3 usual-chapters long

LOOK AT HIM. LOOK HOW SAD AND BEAUTIFUL HE IS. FORGIVE HIM FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DON'T BE MEAN

“Seph.”

“Mm?”

Ollie was napping, Cid and Vincent were out in the workshop with Reeve, and Nero was upstairs, probably starting an emo band or something. Sephiroth and Cloud were lying on the living room sofa, taking advantage of a rare lull in family activity, to enjoy some (admittedly PG-rated) physical affection.

Cloud lifted his head from his beloved’s broad chest to look into his face. “I was thinking. Since you’re here all the time, anyway, wouldn’t it be nice if, say, you had a space of your own? With like, four walls and, I don’t know…a door. Oh, maybe even a bed.” He frowned and tapped his bottom lip thoughtfully. “I feel like there’s a word for that…what was it?”

Sephiroth sighed. “Bedroom.”

“Bedroom! That was it! You need a bedroom. And, as it so happens, there are three empty bedrooms, in this house. Which means…”

“It isn’t my house.”

“It’s your dad’s house, though. Do you really think Vincent would have a problem with you borrowing a spare room? I think you should ask him about it.”

“I know what you think. You’ve been dropping not-so-subtle hints, all week.”

“Then why haven’t you done anything about it?”

Sephiroth looked away, shifting uneasily. “There’s not been a good opportunity to bring it up. Besides, if he wanted me to have a bedroom here, he would have offered.”

“Sephiroth. He’s your father,” Cloud said sternly. “He’s likely just as dense and socially maladjusted as you. He probably assumes you have your own place, since you’ve never mentioned anything about wanting to stay here. If you don’t bring it up, how is he supposed to know?”

“My father has had enough on his plate, since Nero arrived,” Sephiroth hedged. “I don’t want to overload him by making such a presumptuous request.”

“Overload him? You’ve taken a huge burden off him, by doing half the cooking and taking care of your sister, all the time. This household wouldn’t function without you. You at least deserve temporary accommodation.”

“I don’t do those things hoping to be rewarded.”

“Ok babe, listen. I didn’t want to do this, but I’m putting my foot down,” Cloud said, as he pushed himself up from the sofa. “Either you talk to your father about using one of the spare bedrooms, before I get back, or I’ll talk to him myself.”

“Back? Where are you going?” Sephiroth asked, getting up as well.

“Midgar. Gonna check in on Tifa and the kids.”

Sephiroth’s expression darkened. “Why?”

“They’re family, Seph,” Cloud answered wearily.

“They are not.”

“They are to me. People don’t stop being family when you have a falling out.”

“A falling out? Is that what you call it?”

Sephiroth’s normally gentle voice dripped with disdain. Whenever this topic came up, he was the most like he’d been, before. Sharp and acerbic, pupils contracted to slits in the blue-green irises, with an expression of icy hauteur on his beautiful face.

Fortunately, Cloud knew him too well, now, to fault him for it. Arrogance and sarcasm were Sephiroth’s last line of defense, when he felt particularly insecure and helpless. There was nothing that made him feel more insecure and helpless than Cloud’s foundling family, back in Midgar.

“I don’t expect you to forgive them, but I can’t just ignore our entire past and act like Tifa doesn’t exist,” he said, as he pulled on his boots. “Even if I could, I have a responsibility to those kids.”

“You are referring to the children that are not your biological offspring, and which she is currently raising with another man.”

“Yeah, well, at least Barrett’s there for them. That’s more than I ever was.”

A sneer curled Sephiroth’s pale lip. “Indeed, how selfless of him, to take time from his busy schedule, to care for the woman and children he voluntarily acquired. Acquired while you were away from home, as I recall.”

“I was away from home for almost a year. You can hardly blame him for using that time to win over the woman he’d always loved, who I was never romantic with, in the first place.”

“I can, however, blame them both, for treating you as deranged and dangerous, and organizing others to ambush and attempt to abduct you, rather than hearing you out.”

“They learned their lesson, didn’t they? And they heard me out, afterward.”

“Because they had no choice.”

“Yeah. Well. The important thing is that they know where I stand, and what happens if they try to corner me. No point dwelling on it.”

Sephiroth crossed his arms defensively. “I do not understand why, after they behaved the way they did, toward you, you would continue to associate with them. You are only putting yourself in a position to be mistreated again.”

“It’s not about that, Seph. Regardless of what happened between the adults, the kids still think of me as a parental figure. Denzel’s counting on me to be there for his first bike race. I’m not gonna let him down.”

Sephiroth was still stewing as he walked Cloud to the front door, and gave a disconsolate ‘hmph’, when Cloud kissed him goodbye, which made Cloud laugh and kiss him again.

“You’re adorable when you’re acting like a wet cat. I’ll be back in a few days. Promise me you’ll talk to your father about the spare bedroom, before then.”

“I promise,” Sephiroth said gloomily.

Cloud turned back and waved, after he started up the big, black Fenrir bike, and then roared away down the private drive, leaving a trail of dust clouds behind. Sephiroth lingered in the doorway, gazing the way he’d gone, well after he was out of sight.

“You really should lock that down,” Nero’s serpentine voice said, behind him, drawing him out of his ruminations.

Sephiroth turned an unfriendly eye on him. “What?”

“Your little lover, running off to see his friends, without you. Tsk tsk.”

“So, you were eavesdropping.”

“Who knows what they’ll say to him,” Nero went on, as if he hadn’t heard the remark. “Who they’ll introduce him to, hoping he’ll be enticed to greener pastures. If I were you, I would lock him down, before it’s too late.”

“What do you mean ‘lock him down’? Is he a military facility?”

Nero rolled his eyes. “I mean marry him. Make him truly and legally yours, before someone else tries to get their hooks into him.”

“Cloud and I do not need a certificate from some paltry human authorities, to declare our bond. We are not separable, by any power in this world, or otherwise.”

“Then why are you so jealous of his ex-lover and their children?” Nero asked pointedly, raising his black brows.

“They are not his children! And she was never his—why are you even talking to me? Do you enjoy provoking me, that much?”

“I am simply attempting to be a good brother,” Nero replied righteously. “Since it’s clear to me that you are staggeringly inept in matters of the heart, I thought you might benefit from some advice.”

“Ridiculous,” Sephiroth snorted. “I’m a grown man. You are a child. What could you possibly have to teach me, about such things?”

“Correction: you are a ghost. And child or no, I’d wager I’ve got more relationship experience than you. Tell me, were you a virgin, when you bedded that pretty blonde?”

“Was I—that’s one of your business!” Sephiroth fired back.

“So, yes,” Nero replied glibly. “I thought so. You do seem like the mates-for-life type.”

“I am not ashamed of that, and I won’t deny it. What is it to you?”

“Then we have that in common. So, it stands to reason we also share the desire to keep our chosen mate firmly in our hands.”

“Are you coming to a point, Nero?”

“Only this: you need to stop getting your hackles up, when he talks about his ex-whatever-she-is. When he goes to visit her and the brats, you have to stop making him feel like it’s at the cost of wounding you. Your jealousy isn’t going to keep you safe. You’re only going to make yourself miserable, and hurt him in the process.”

Sephiroth clenched his fists at his sides. “I am not jealous.”

“Well, yes you are. It takes one to know one, dear brother.”

“You’re admitting that you’re jealous, with Weiss?”

“Oh, very much so,” Nero laughed. “Extremely, monstrously, violently jealous. But Weiss likes that. Your little blonde does not. Your jealousy only makes him feel that you don’t trust him, and that you want him to choose between you and his friends. You don’t see that he has already chosen you. He’s not going to leave you for them, so stop acting like he might.”

Sephiroth wavered. “He has…already chosen me?”

“You really are an idiot,” Nero sighed. “I will only say this once, and I will deny it, if you ever repeat it to anyone. There is more of you in that boy’s heart than there is of himself. Weiss is literally my other half, and even I can’t make such a claim. Cloud Strife might love you more than any person in this world has ever loved another, and yet you’re still so cripplingly insecure, that you can’t let yourself accept it.”

“I was never loved, before.” Sephiroth lowered his eyes, passing a hand over his brow. “I don’t know how to go about it. I don’t know how to say the right words or make the right gestures. All I know how to do is hold on to him, with everything I have.”

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love and be loved, in return,” Nero said, in an odd, sing-song cadence.

Sephiroth blinked. “Are you…are you quoting Moulin Rouge, at me?”

“Mm-hm,” Nero nodded jauntily. “Cid and I watched it, last night, while father pretended not to be sleeping through it.”

“I love that movie,” Sephiroth pouted. “Why didn’t you tell me, so I could watch it too?”

“You and Cloud were asleep in the living room, with Ollie. Cid didn’t want to wake you. Also, you’re huge and the sofa in the den is too small. It would’ve been cramped, with all of us.”

Just then, both young men suddenly looked up at the ceiling.

“Ollie’s awake,” Sephiroth announced. “Time for her bottle.”

“Why don’t you take a break and let me do it,” Nero offered.

Sephiroth paused and eyed him suspiciously. “Do you know how to warm the formula to the correct temperature?”

“The warmer chooses the right temperature automatically,” Nero riposted.

“Do you know how to feed her?”

“How complicated can it be to hand a baby a bottle?”

Sephiroth crossed his arms. “And what if she needs to be changed?”

Nero staggered under that master stroke, and went a little green in the face. “On second thought, m—maybe you should do it, after all. I’m clueless about children, who knows what havoc I may cause.”

“Nonsense,” Sephiroth said, grabbing his wrist as he was about to flee. “You’re her brother and you should know how to take care of her, too. I’m happy to teach you. Let’s go.”

With that, Nero was herded into the kitchen, made to warm the bottle, under Sephiroth’s appraising eye, and then dragged upstairs toward the little goblin’s room, looking like he was going to his own execution.

Ollie’s soft, ultrafine baby hair already exhibited some of the same gravity-defying tendencies as Vincent’s and Nero’s. Thusly, it was sticking up all over her head, making her look like a scarlet-eyed hedgehog, as she stood in the crib on wobbly legs, hanging onto the rail for support.

“GUH-GUH-GUH!” she wailed, suddenly piteous and aggrieved, the moment she saw her brothers coming down the hall. “BABABABAAA!”

“Don’t fuss, mei-mei, I’m right here,” Sephiroth said softly, but much in the tone with which one would address an adult. “Your er-ge wants to learn to care for you, so he’ll be assisting, today.”

“Ah-ah-ah bababa,” Ollie burbled woefully, reaching for Nero, as Sephiroth lifted her from the crib.

Sephiroth spared her no mercy. “Patience, miss. You’ll have your bottle in a moment. You have to be changed, first.”

In protest of this unjust treatment, Ollie thrashed and kicked uncooperatively, as her brother laid her on the changing table and unsnapped her onesie—a candy-apple red number that had the words, ‘Daddy’s Little Devil’ embroidered in black, on the front.

There was an attached hood, too, that when it was pulled up, displayed a pair of mini devil horns. The overall effect was decidedly adorable, but Cid was no longer allowed to purchase baby clothing, unsupervised.

“The wipes are in the warmer, and the ointment, powder, and fresh diapers are in this drawer,” Sephiroth explained to Nero. “After you remove the soiled diaper, it goes in that device over there, which I’ll show you how to operate, momentarily.”

All the while, Ollie was squirming and whining with increasing energy, striving to get at the bottle in Nero’s hands. When the wet diaper came off, Nero averted his eyes reflexively, and Sephiroth was reaching for a baby wipe. Thus, both of them missed the thin, black tentacle that appeared out of nowhere, and flew toward Nero.

Nero gave a yelp of surprise, as the bottle was yanked out of his hand, making Sephiroth turn to look, just in time to see the darkness tendril that was coiled around it placing the bottle in Ollie’s eager hands.

“I thought you had control of those things,” Sephiroth scolded Nero. “Why did you let it do that?”

“I didn’t,” Nero said. “It’s one of mine, but it…it didn’t come from me.”

“If it didn’t come from you, then where in the ten hells—” Sephiroth stopped short.  

For a moment, both men stood there, staring at the baby, who was reveling in her ill-gotten bottle, and gleefully kicking her chubby legs.

“But she can’t control darkness…can she?” Sephiroth asked. “She’s only a baby.”

Nero only shook his head dazedly. Sephiroth decided he’d better test it out, first, before they decided how to proceed.

“Sorry, meimei,” he muttered, and abruptly snatched the bottle from her hands.

The infant’s entire, round head turned bright pink, as she revved up for a piercing yowl of indignation, directing all her ire at her cruel eldest brother, who had taken away her prize. As quick as a whip, the darkness tentacle shot out from somewhere on her person and jerked the bottle right back out of Sephiroth’s hand, promptly returning it to the wronged party.

Sephiroth and Nero looked at one another, then back at their little sister. There was no mistaking it, this time. The darkness tendril had originated from Ollie, and appeared to be at least partially under her control.

Sephiroth’s brow furrowed. “I can overpower and grasp your darkness strands, temporarily, but I can’t take them from you. How could this happen?”

“I have no idea.” Nero swallowed hard. “Maybe…maybe one got loose and attached to her, somehow.”

“Well un-attach it,” Sephiroth said peevishly. “Have you any idea how dangerous a baby with darkness abilities could be? To herself, as well as others?”

“They’re my abilities, you don’t have to tell me,” Nero retorted.

“What are you waiting for, then? Command it to return.”

“If I could do that, I would have! Shut up and let me think, for a second! And will you please put a diaper on that gremlin? She has no sense of modesty, whatsoever.”

Sephiroth turned to finish cleaning and diapering the little miscreant, pulling her onesie legs back on, while she smiled and cooed beatifically, as if she were one of heaven’s most innocent cherubim. Which was especially incongruous, at the moment, considering the black hair, the red eyes, and the devil costume.

Nero was in a quandary. He hadn’t intended to tell anyone about the incident, with the small spider, least of all the house’s overbearing guard-dog, Sephiroth, but there was nothing for it. They were in this together, now.

“There’s something else,” he said, with deep reluctance. The look Sephiroth gave him did not inspire a feeling of camaraderie, but he forged ahead. “A few nights ago, I think…I was with her, on the other side.”

Blue-green eyes flashed with deadly intent. “You what?”

“I didn’t bring her there! I didn’t even suspect it was her, until I came back out of it, and put the pieces together. But I have no idea how she’d be able to connect to my darkness, let alone trespass in my void, without my knowledge. I was planning to…ahem. To try to bring her back there. If she appeared in the same form, I’d be able to—”

Before he finished the sentence, Sephiroth’s big hand had already closed around Nero’s throat. “You were planning to take my little sister to the void? Give me one reason I shouldn’t twist your head off, now, and spare my father the trouble.”

Nero couldn’t answer, with Sephiroth choking him, but he didn’t have to. A shrill wail erupted from the changing table, and that little tendril flew out again, this time constricting around Sephiroth’s wrist, trying with all its might to tear him away from Nero.

“Guh-guh-guh! Ah-guh-guh!” Ollie bawled, big tears pouring down her apple cheeks.

Sephiroth let Nero go immediately. “I’m sorry, Ollie. I wasn’t really going to hurt your er-ge, I promise. I’m so sorry I scared you.”

Ollie kept sobbing and gurgling nonsense at him, till Nero got fed up and translated.

“She thinks we’re fighting. She wants us to…” He sighed heavily. “…to hug and make up.”

Sephiroth made a face. “Hug who, each other?”

“No, jackass, a behemoth. Of course each other.”

Sephiroth looked at Ollie, who was peering up at him with big, round, teary eyes. He had no power to refuse his baby sister anything, let alone when she looked so sad.

“Alright. Let’s get this over with.”

With the air of children about to take bitter medicine, the two erring brothers reached out and embraced one another stiffly.

“Look, mei-mei, everything is alright,” Sephiroth coaxed, patting Nero’s back. “No one is angry with anyone.”

“Yes, your big brothers love each other. See?” Nero added, also patting Sephiroth’s back.

Ollie stopped actively bawling, but kept watching the two warily, sniffling and gnawing on her fingers, and drooling copiously in the process. One of Nero’s purple-black tendrils emerged and snaked over, heroically submitting itself to be used as a teething toy, for the greater good. Ollie, who liked the tendrils, for their springy texture and soothing coldness, was successfully pacified.

Sephiroth turned to Nero, keeping his expression placid and his voice mild. “Please explain to me why, when you believed my sister to be at large in the metaphysical plane, you thought it was a good idea to not only conceal it from her family, but to try to take her back there.”

“In my position, would you have told anyone? Would you have said to our father and Cid ‘Hey dads, your precious infant daughter may be leaving the material plane by traversing my darkness realm, oopsie doopsie.’ How do you think Cid would handle that?”

“I suppose I see your point,” Sephiroth conceded. “But that does not explain why you would risk taking her there, again.”

“It’s not like I was going to endanger her,” Nero said defensively. “I can keep her safe, if she goes with me. If she’s running around in there, by herself, I don’t know what could happen to her. I can communicate with her through the darkness, and explain all that to her, but it’s much safer to do it on the other side. That way, even if the connection goes haywire, there’s no risk of damage to her physical body.”

“Just to her psyche and soul.”

“How do you think her psyche and soul would fare, if she were to become lost, and unable to find her way back?” Nero contended. “There is no concept of time or space, there. It is literally infinite. The only way to ensure her safety, is for me to connect with her. Once we’re connected, I might even be able to find out how she’s getting in, and stop her. If I can’t stop her, I can at least keep a tether on her.”

Sephiroth eyed him cagily. “Why are you suddenly so concerned for her well-being? This seems like a lot of trouble to go to, for a half-sister by a father you don’t even acknowledge.”

“Worry not, brother, I haven’t suddenly turned altruist,” Nero sneered. “I only care because I think she might be able to help me find Weiss. She can’t do that if her soul is lost in the void.”

Sephiroth smiled bitterly. “I should’ve guessed. It always comes back to Weiss, with you. He’s the only person that matters to you, after all.”

“What do you care? You never wanted me here. The sooner I find him, the sooner I’ll be gone, and the sooner you’ll have your father all to yourself. Who knows, with me out of the way, he may even start to love you.”

“I don’t want his love,” Sephiroth said tonelessly. “I don’t need it. I am not a child.”

“You are, however, a terrible liar.” Nero’s taunting expression froze on his face, as his slit pupils dilated in the crimson-magenta irises. “A tug…a tug!”

“What?”

“There’s a tug, in the darkness! It has to be Weiss! I’m going after him!”

Sephiroth watched, fascinated, as Nero’s eyes seemed to fill with ink, turning pitch black—iris, sclera, and all. It happened so quickly, it was almost startling. He waved a hand in front of the young man’s face, a few times, and got no reaction. He must be on the other side already.

“Alright, Ollie, let’s go see if—” Sephiroth’s blood ran cold. His little sister was lying on the changing table, staring blankly into space, with those very same eerie, ink-pit eyes. “Fuck.”

THE AUTHOR HAS SOMETHING TO SAY yes barrett and tifa are a couple in this. like they always should have been.

[chaosduckies]

Friends in Small Places (Chapter 2)

Whattt two chapters in the span of two days? Wow even I’m surprised. But thank you for all the support on the first chapter! I hope you enjoy this one too!

Word Count: 4.2k

CW: Major Anxiety, slight dehumanization

2-Liam 

The rest of the day was spent just getting used to everything. There was no way for me get onto anything without climbing, which by the way, I had had zero upper body strength.  They didn’t really think through with this, did they? But otherwise, it wasn’t so bad. Cas pretty much left me alone, though I’m sure he wanted to talk. I would have liked to, but I was afraid I’d do something stupid. My sleeping situation wasn’t really the best either, considering I was too afraid to be held, let alone carried, so I was left with just sleeping on the floor. I wasn’t too picky about it, but I guess Cas felt bad and brought over blanket and just folded it a couple of times to act as a mattress and a blanket at the same time. 

I woke up a little earlier than I usually do to get ready to go to classes. I don’t really understand how they expect me to keep up with everything all at once, but hey, college. They don’t care about your personal problems. I hurried to grab my bag, then realized that I couldn’t exactly get out without turning the doorknob, which was currently fifty feet above me. I didn’t really want to wake up Cas, but I also didn’t want to be late for class. Which one was a better option? Waking up Cas. How was I going to do it? I had no idea. There was no harm in at least trying though, right? 

His room was pretty small, only fitting a twin-sized bed with a small desk that had what looked like a couple of notebooks. Cas was sleeping his bed, the blanket almost covering up his entire face. I sucked in a deep breath, forcing words to come out of my mouth. 

“Cas?” He didn’t hear. 

I moved a little closer from my spot on the ground, not minding the dark abyss that was under his bed. Totally not creeped out. 

“Cas!” He moved around now, but didn’t wake up. I was starting to get worried before a loud alarm rang high above me, but still hurting my ears. I covered them up, pressing my back against what I was hoping was his nightstand. So loud… My head was slightly throbbing, but finally the alarm was turned off. I looked up, seeing Cas yawning then struggle to sit up. He groaned, his eyes drowsily staring down at the floor, then trailed off to me. Maybe I should have just waited. Why does he have an alarm set anyways? Did he have somewhere to be? 

“Sorry! I’m so sorry.” He apologized, sitting on the floor so he was’t looming over me as much. Why was he worrying about me? My entire job was to be worried about him. Literally. Still, it made me feel a bit better to think that he’s self-aware of everything he does. 

“You’re fine! It was just a little loud.” I laughed nervously, still messing with my ears to make sure I could still hear properly. Cas’s hand moved closer to me, retracting almost immediately. My heart was beating fast, but I never flinched. Mostly because I think I was just frozen in fear for that split second, but still. Does that count as something? 

“Did-Did you need something?” He asked, fidgeting with his hands as if he was distracting himself from something. Was I also getting the subtle hint that something else was wrong? What could it be? Did I somehow hurt his feelings? I hope I didn’t… I would feel bad, plus I’d have to figure out some way to calm him down when I’d probably be less than an inch tall to him. I hope that never happens, but I’m sure it’s inevitable. 

“Just if y-you could open the front door. I-I have classes to go to. P-Please?” My voice came out a little shaky, and I could only assume that Cas didn’t ignore it. Instead, he tried his best to give a smile while nodding his head, “Do you mind waiting a minute? I’ve gotta get dressed.” He moved out of the way for me to walk over to the door. As soon as I took a few steps out, he lightly closed his door behind me. What does he have to get dressed for? Why so early in the morning too? 

It only took him around five minutes to get dressed and all ready, wearing a similar long sleeve shirt as yesterday and a pair of slightly baggy sweatpants. Seriously, where was he going? I guess he has his own reasons. It’s probably best if I don’t ask until later, when we actually get to know each other better. Plus, it’s mostly likely going to be something with the SSU anyways. He does have a red band after all. It’s not really my place to ask. 

“Do you um, know how long you’ll be gone?” Cas asked sadly. Like he didn’t want me to leave in the first place. Would he feel lonely? It would make sense. Could I just stay here? I wouldn’t think so in all honesty. I would hate for something bad to happen while I was gone. What if something actually does? Would I be held responsible? Of course I would. It’s stupid to even think that I wouldn’t. What if I just gave Cas my number? If there really was a problem then the school would be forced to let me go handle it. But hopefully it’ll never come to that. 

“Just until around two. I-I can give you my number if anything happens. Would that help?” I explained, doing my best to hide how shaky my voice was. My head was getting a little dizzy from staring up at him the entire time. Couldn’t he be a human height? Or was it just hard for him? Most likely the latter. I feel like if he’s so scared of hurting someone at the size he’s at right now, then he’d definitely want to be human sized. Maybe I could help him work on that? Would that make him feel better about himself?

Cas stared at me a little shocked, just about to reach for the door handle. He gave an unsure look before sitting down a little closer to me and pulling out his phone with a shaky hand. Was he scared? Of what? My heart fell, not seeing how someone who held so much power could feel scared. 

He turned his phone to face me, the screen dimmed and the keypad already out. I thought he was going to just say his out loud, but I guess this works too. I typed my number in, having to reach far above my head to reach the top numbers, but otherwise I managed it. 

I nodded while stepping back, seeing the shock on his face reappear as he clicked a button. His eyes darted between me and his phone. Thinking about what to text? I guess he didn’t want to say something stupid? My phone went off soon enough. I dug it out of my pocket in my bag and looked, smiling. 

Unknown: Thank you 

“Anytime.” Cas gave the best smile he could muster, slowly standing up and opening the front door. The sun was barely rising, and there a few people leaving for what I was guessing work. I just hoped I wouldn’t have to walk by next to them. It hasn’t even been a full day with Cas and I’m already wary about being next to him when he’s walking around the place. Though, I do catch him almost constantly checking the ground for anything. Or anyone. It was oddly… relieving. 

I stepped outside, taking a few steps outside and waiting for the door to close behind me, but instead, Cas walked outside too stepping slightly over me to lock the door behind him. I’m surprised I didn’t run off that very second. My heart started racing fast and my body trembled a little. Even after all of that I didn’t move. But he just stepped over me like a bug. Nonono. He doesn’t think that, does he? I’d sincerely doubt it. He probably just didn’t realize. All the more reason to watch where I am and where he is at all times. 

We both went in opposite directions, Cas mouthed a goodbye before walking off. I guess everything will be alright. What could go wrong? Just that something happens to Cas and then he shifts, I get in trouble for it, spend the rest of my life in jail for abandoning my “job” that I’m not even being paid for, and then eventually face the damage and destruction that could have been avoided if I had just stayed with him. Don’t think about it… 

Yeah, yeah, it’ll be fine. Just go through the day like any other, come back, and everything will be fine. Yup. It’ll play out just like that. I won’t even have to see Cas calling me. Everything will go just as I played it out in my head. I go to my classes, hang out with my friends for a while, then head back and Cas is a-okay. This is exactly how it’s going to go. Because I don’t think I can handle what would happen if it didn’t. 

——————

Halfway through day I sat through a lecture for my anatomy class. Apparently human jaws are just a strong as a sharks, but our minds just don’t let us use all of the strength. Cool, right? But that was currently not on my mind as I felt my phone vibrating in my back pocket. The person sitting beside me glared. I smiled nervously as I looked for Chelsey in my seat, who was sitting on the other side of the classroom. I stood up, hoping no one would mind and walked up to her. We were both friends, even if we barely talk. Only at small gatherings or when she helps me with studying everyone once in a while. 

“Hey Liam!” She piped up, her usual cheery self. I held up my phone, a worried look on my face, “I-I, um, I need to go…” She would understand, right? She was also assigned to a shifter after all. She looked at me confused, then made a shocked face, her lips forming an “o” while nodding her head. 

“I’ll cover for you. It’s not like they can get mad at you anyways.” She whispered. I whispered a thank you before rushing to grab my bag and walk out of the room. At the time, the professor wasn’t even in there, so I hope Chelsey would help me out. But I trust her. 

I dialed Cas back, hearing it ring for several seconds before he picked up. I wasn’t actually expecting something to happen! My only problem was how I was going to get there. It’s a thirty minute drive just to get to the other side of the city! I’m a college student without my own car, which isn’t really the best outcome right now. 

“Hey! Um, are-are you alright?” I stuttered, almost running to catch a taxi- or really anything that could get me there in time. No bus came here around this time. 

“N-Not real-“ I heard a loud thump! “Ouch- on second thought you don’t have to come here.” He nervously laughed, groaning immediately after. What was that sound? Did he hit something? I bit the bottom of my lip, slightly terrified of what I’ll see when I get there. If I ever will anyways. 

“Just take deep breaths, okay? I-I’ll be there as fast as I can.” I rushed down the street to an empty taxi, opening the back door and saying the address to the driver who was actually extremely nice. 

“I-I’m sorry to ask this, but how long until we get there?” I sadly asked, feeling bad that I might be placing pressure on him. Instead, he just laughed, “I know a shortcut, around a fifteen minute drive from here.” 

“Thank you so much.” I sighed, handing him a twenty dollar bill. I only really had to pay around ten dollars, but the extra ten won’t hurt. The older man gasped before he heard a loud noise come from my phone. I jumped, extremely worried now, “Cas, you good?” 

He didn’t answer for a while, and when he did, his voice came out pained. Kind of like how you sound when you’re losing your voice, “Yeah, yeah. I just hit the ceiling-“ Hit the ceiling? Is he being serious? There’s no way. How could I even-  So how small would I be to him? Would he even see me? They should’ve switched Ryan and I. At least he’s a shifter too so maybe it would’ve been easier for him. Instead they get an insignificant, little human who can’t even do a single thing right. 

“Okay, um, c-can you wait fifteen minutes?” 

“Yeah, I think so.” He groaned, moving around to what was hopefully a more comfortable position for him. The driver looked at me confused. 

“…Do you want me to stay on call?” I asked quietly, extremely scared of what I’ll see in about ten minutes. 

“Yes! I-I mean, yes please.” He immediately replied. I was a little shocked, but at least maybe I could delay the inevitable. For about ten minutes. Not really that long but it’s fine. Hahaha- yup. I’m totally not going to be around a literal titan and have to try to calm them down. What even made him lose control? He seemed okay before. Maybe it was when he went out? 

“Hey, if it’s alright to ask, what happened?” I kept my voice calm and collected even though everything in my body wanted to jump out of this car right now and make a run for it. 

“Just some new pills that the company gave me this morning. They’re supposed to help me stay at a human size, but they’re still working out a few things. Ow-“ He sucked in a sharp breath on the other end. The company gives him pills? They didn’t bother to mention that to me? I think the more shocking news was that he needed pills to help him stay at a human size. So he just can’t regularly? Or maybe that’s just for shifters with a red band? That’s probably it. I didn’t know much about it though if I’m being honest. Most things about shifters are disclosed to only the SSU. 

“It hurts you?” My voice came out shocked as the driver took a right turn, entering the neighborhood and riding down the street. 

“Well, i-it’s not supposed to. It’s a new medicine they’re trying out.” He laughed nervously. Please don’t let me pass out. The house came into view. Nothing looked out of the ordinary thankfully. He can tell me all about whatever medicine they gave him after I deal with what’s happening inside. 

The driver stopped slowly at the house, looking back it then to me, “Are you sure this is the right house?” My body started shaking just thinking about walking in. What would happen? What if he doesn’t see me and moves in a wrong way? What would I even do if he couldn’t hear me? How do people do this for a living? 

“Oh y-yeah. Thank you so much!” I slammed the twenty I was still hanging on to on the passenger seat and rushed out of the car, grabbing my bag in the process. The taxi had left, and I started slowing down when I reached the door. Cas would have to open it. Because of course they don’t have anything human-sized. They just want to make my “job” harder. 

“Hey Cas, do you… you mind opening the door?” My voice quivered. As much as I tried to hide it, of course I can’t for forever. What kind of psychology student am I if I can’t even deal with my own thoughts and emotions? Why did I think I could handle someone else’s? Don’t think like that, you’ll be fine. I had to tell myself as the door opened. I didn’t look up, scared that if I did I’d just run off before I could even take a single step inside. 

I hung up the phone when I walked inside, trying to hide the fact that I could literally hear every single time Cas had moved, which wasn’t something that was happening before. A few deep breaths, and I forced myself to look up. It took everything in my will to not run. It’s like a fight or flight instinct. When a person see’s something big, or something that looks powerful, our instincts kick in. In my case, I had a third option. Stand absolutely still and quiet. 

Cas didn’t say anything either, squinting down at me with a sorry expression. Oh this is just going to be so… fun. 

———Cas———

There were no words to describe how terrified I was right now. Why did I call Liam in the first place? It was a stupid idea, but I didn’t want him to get mad at me for not telling him. I thought today would have been fine. I’ve been taking my anti-depressants and I’ve been trying to at least look happy just so Liam would think I wasn’t that bad, but apparently not. I know he’s scared too, but I didn’t entirely understand why he stays. The old therapist I had was mean and didn’t let me go anywhere without her. She would boss me around, and eventually she left because of some complaints. So why did I get the feeling that Liam was different? Because he was only a year older than me? Because, so far, he’s given me freedom to do what I wanted? 

Seeing him so tiny made everything in my body go on caution. I didn’t move at all as he stared up in horror. I tried my best to stay in a confined space, my head just barely inches from hitting the ceiling again. I kept my legs close to my chest, my arms around them. I try not to break anything while I’m this size, but somehow something always does. I never know what to do when I lose control of my emotions. It’s why I take so much medicine to make sure I don’t in the first place, but the company makes me and a lot of other people try out new pills they make once every other week. Sometimes it makes me stay at a human size for just a couple minutes, or sometimes it just makes me grow, like it did now. Or nothing happens besides making me feel sick for a day or two. They were trying to figure out a way to keep the shifters like me at a regular human size for longer than we can physically handle it. 

This time though, it hurt. It felt like something was ripping apart my abdomen from the inside. My heard hurt, a lot, and my muscles were killing me. It’s not like I could move though. I didn’t want to mess up the place, plus, Liam was here and I’d rather not hurt him. I really, really don’t want to hurt anyone. I can’t put the weight on my conscience. Then everyone would have a whole ew problem to deal with- and then I’d be blamed for everything. 

I winced when my head banged up against the ceiling again. Just calm down. Don’t make Liam do something he doesn’t want to-My eyes darted to where the tiny figure on the floor was, now shakily moving towards my hand. I let out a quiet yelp, moving my hand away and trying me best to keep my back pressed up against the wall behind me without breaking it. 

“Nonono, I’m fine I promise.” I laughed while putting on the best fake smile I could muster while wrapping an arm around the side of my abdomen, where it was throbbing the most. What did they even put in it this time? Why was he forcing himself to try and help me? I would be okay, right? I didn’t need to make him do anything. I could do this myself. I’m not even spiraling into my thoughts right now. Imagine what Liam must be thinking right now. “If he’s not even losing control of his emotions what would happen if he does?” I shuddered at the thought. It does get pretty bad though. I wonder if the others are going through with the same thing. 

I could tell that Liam was trying to tell me something, but I couldn’t hear him. I didn’t really want to make him yell, but I also didn’t want to scare him half to death. 

“S-sorry, I can’t hear you… Is it okay if I move?” I asked, feeling a bit saddened. I wish I wasn’t even a shifter. I wouldn’t even be in this mess if I would’ve just stayed normal. Just like everyone else. I wouldn’t need to have someone watching over me constantly, I wouldn’t have to worry about hurting anyone smaller than me, maybe I could see my parents more than just once a month. My heart skipped a beat, and I knew that I couldn’t wait for some sort of confirmation if I could move. I hurried to lay down, flipping my stomach, trying to keep my limbs close my body. I groaned, knowing that I just made everything so much worse. 

I buried my head under my arms, facing the floor. I bit down on my jaw for a while while the abdominal pain started up again, then went away after a while. Okay, maybe the medicine isn’t the only thing making me shift sizes right now. Just calm down… take small breaths. 

“C-Cas, can you hear me now?” A worried and panicked voice filled my head. I peaked out, seeing Liam a small distance away from my face. But still too close for comfort. Please move away, I don’t want to hurt anyone. I thought to myself, thinking that if I talked it would only do more harm than good. 

“L-Look, u-um…” I could tell he was in a panic, and I wish that he wasn’t in the first place, “I-I don’t k-know. U-um, how about just a few deep breaths, ‘kay?” He took a few of his own, gripping a chunk of his shirt against his chest. I did as he told me too, finding that it was working just a little bit as I felt myself shrinking down a couple feet. 

“Is the medicine making you… grow?” He asked, confused, but also still under a small panic attack. My only answer was a slight nod, my heartbeat calming down, but the pain in my muscles and head never going away. Yup, tomorrow will just be a resting day at this point. I should probably clean up whatever mess I’ve made though. 

“Okay, think you can calm down enough to go back to the smallest size you can?” He breathed, his body trembling. He was still a student right? That would make sense. The therapist I used to have knew almost exactly what she had to do. Or at least what she thought, she needed to do. I only calmed down because she was practically threatening me at that point. Liam, on the other hand, apparently didn’t know what to do. Or maybe he did but he scared to do it. All I knew was that I’d have to listen to him to make his job easier. 

I nodded again, picking my body up as much as I could and trying to think about anything good. You’ll get to see your parents next week. Your old therapist is gone. And soon enough I was at my minimum at the moment. Liam was still extremely small, like a centimeter tall, which didn’t at all put me at ease, but I have no idea how long I’d be stuck at this size. Hours maybe? I laid back down on my stomach, groaning and facing the hard floor. 

“I’m so sorry.” I whispered. 

“It’s fine! It’s not your fault, I promise.” Liam explained, sitting down near my face again just so I could hear him. I would have preferred for him to be as far away as possible from me, but I can’t say anything. He is technically my boss after all. But it makes me kind of glad to think that he came over here just to help me out. I think I would have been fine either way, but it would’ve gone a lot slower.

“Are you okay though? You look pale.” He asked me. 

“Mhm. The pills this time just hurt a whole lot.” My head was throbbing. Why couldn’t I just be normal? I wouldn’t have to take those stupid testing pills in the first place. I felt my eyes closing. 

“Alright, how about you get some rest? Maybe you’ll feel better after?” He offered, I nodded my head while yawning and doing what he said. Yup. Hopefully I would. I just hope I don’t do something stupid while sleeping.  ——————

This is my first time writing some about sizeshifters so I think I’m doing an okay job at it?

And we finally get some g/t. Sort of I guess. I planned for this chapter to be longer, but then I didn’t want the one after to be too short. Aghhh idk

But thank you for reading! I hope you all have a great day/night :D

Taglist: @da3dm

[ninadove]

Luka Couffaine, First Kiss (curious to see what pairing you do)

You ask, but you already know:

“Wait, are you serious? You’re telling me you’ve never been kissed before?”

Adrien had heard those same words countless times — not-so-subtle flirting attempts, voiced by admirers who only knew him from posters and perfume bottles.

Spoken by someone he genuinely liked, they rang very differently.

“I’ve always managed to escape it,” he joked, sticking his tongue out in playful disgust. “Chat Noir’s been kissed many times, but I’ve been told none of these count.”

“How do they not count?” Luka asked, a false note echoing through the cabin as he tuned his guitar. “You either get a kiss, or you don’t.”

“I know!!! That’s what I’ve been saying!!!”

The older boy’s laughter ricocheted against the hull, softer than any melody he could ever play.

“What about you? Any luck in that department?”

“Not really, no.”

“How come?”

As soon as the question left his throat, Adrien felt the compelling need to smack his head against a wall. Luka, of course, sat there without a word, his smile as calm and forgiving as it always was.

“Ignore me. I’m an idiot.”

“What happened between Marinette and I was in no way your fault.”

“Still,” he mumbled. “I feel like it is. Just a little.”

A hint of hesitation passed through the older boy’s eyes — an unexpected wave in a usually serene sea.

“Well,” he finally spoke, “if you insist… I can think of a way you could make it up to me.”

It took Adrien a few seconds to put two and two together — but when he did, heat pooled in his cheeks, and he let out a very smooth:

“What?”

“Only if you want to,” Luka rushed out, leaning back out of reflex. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. It’s fine if you don’t —”

Before he could finish his sentence, Adrien’s hands were on his, gently freeing the guitar from his hold. He did not protest as it was tossed onto the electric blue blanket — removing the barrier that once stood between them.

“No, you’re absolutely right,” the younger boy said, heart pounding in his chest. “I do owe you a kiss, after all.”

SURPRISE I wrote another one:

“Really, Chaton? This is the hill you want to die on?”

Marinette approached her dating life the same way she did every aspect of her hero work: with careful planning, unfruitful overthinking, and a good dose of insanity.

Adding a third partner to the mix meant even more stress, more nonsense coming out of her mouth, more scenarii to catastrophize about; which is why she had planned every single detail of her conversation with Chat Noir and compiled her findings into a PowerPoint, complete with useful statistics and colour-coded charts. She was prepared to face any concern — any cause for conflict that might arise.

Anything, except that.

“All I’m saying,” her partner pouted, precariously perched on her desk in full costume, “is that I should get to be Luka’s first kiss.”

The young girl blinked, confusion and frustration clogging her brain.

“This is childish,” she mumbled, lowering her pointer and crossing her arms. “I just gave you a thirty-minute-long presentation on ethical non-monogamy, and this is all you have to say on the matter?”

“Yes,” he reiterated, mirroring her stance as he pouted.

In a way, she should have been grateful: this talk could have killed their relationship right then and there. Yet, despite all her research and rationalisation, she could not help but feel a tinge of jealousy tugging at her heart strings.

“Luka and I have dated in the past,” she mumbled, rubbing her temples. “He will be more comfortable if it’s me.”

“Nuh-uh.”

“What do you mean, ‘nuh-uh’?”

The cup she stored her pencils in had slid dangerously close to the edge of the desk; she gave her boyfriend a death glare, and he pushed it back against the wall, reluctantly.

“I mean you had your chance, and you blew it,” he retorted, pupils narrowing behind the mask. “It’s only fair that I get to do the honours.”

Marinette opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. She had to admit it: it was a pretty convincing argument.

“Fine,” she sighed, rolling her eyes in defeat. “You get to kiss Luka first.”

A huge grin painted Chat’s face, and well. It was very hard to fight against that.

“Provided he says yes to our little arrangement,” she added, brushing the wrinkles off her shirt.

“He will,” he reassured her. “You’re the best, M’Lady, and I’m, well, me.”

She could not help but chuckle as he pretended to kiss his own biceps.

“Should we tell him to drop by right now? The sooner you kiss him, the sooner I get to do so.”

“Sounds like a plan. Hey, can I borrow your chapstick?”

“No way! You have your own!”

“Strawberry is more appropriate for special occasions.”

She placed her hands on each side of the desk, trapping him in place, and gazed into the playful emerald eyes.

“Very well,” she said, moving her lips closer to his. “I guess you get to try the chapstick.”

Now on AO3 here and here!

Ask game here!

[who1ssheesh]

Xanxus's s/o being best buds with squalo!!

Xanxus’ s/o being best friends with Squalo

Pairings: Xanxus/reader, Squalo/reader |PLATONIC|

Notes: maybe I’ve taken “buds” way too serious + Xanxus is a little piece of shit here I’m sorry……I’ll prolly will make Squalo s/o being buds with Xus soon lol. I also think I will expand on this one, feels rushed on some moments here and there

Warnings: swearing, not proofread at all, possible break-up 💀

If we take the route you’ve become friends with Squalo after starting to date Xanxus, then ooh boy, that’s a rocky start

Superbia admires Xanxus’ strength and specific traits – Squalo never in his life can terrify people around just by mere existing and suffocate with the strength through red wild eyes alone.

But other than that don’t they HATE each other with each letter in capital?

BTW Xanxus, on the other hand, is so ignorant he won’t admit any of Squalo’s strong traits to save his life, and captain acts much more reasonable here. So maybe you’re the one hinting to your man that he should go at least a little bit softer on his right hand

So. Squalo didn’t think Xanxus would date someone….like…….smart…….

He kind of expected a typical mob wife to be a candy of the eye and suck out (pun intended) money since Xanxus doesn’t care about people, you just gotta be useful to him

He can’t even lie he was dumbfounded seeing you for the first time. You are……..normal. He doesn’t mean ugly, you are pretty in a natural? Regular? way, not in a “I want to be a supermodel way too hard” way. Help me, I sound sexist.

It’s not an insult to you, it’s an “I can’t believe someone ambitious and smart got along with HIM”

100% the first time you see him is when Xanxus is beating the shit out of him with glasses again, and you were looking terrified to say the least. And Squalo was so NASTY, he really wished you would see this as the biggest red flag because he doesn’t want to see that bitch happy.

I mean it, there is just no way to get those two along, it’s a weird hate-infused destructive relationship between them.

You talk for the first time somewhere in the hall after that incident.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Squalo doesn’t answer, but you swear you heard an angry screech of his teeth in return.

You stumbled into each other pretty accidentally. You could be getting coffee for Lussuria (of COURSE you had  to be friends with that-, he would think) and somehow you always got one for Squalo. You are subtle, most of the times not even talking to him, just acting like……you merely treat him as everyone else and don’t pay attention to his tantrums.

You are immune to tantrums with your boyfriend, you’re the reasonable one in the relationship lol

You are the first one to call Squalo out.

“Quit your bullshit”

• You know what’s funny? It worked. Now welcome hell, you can never escape but it’s funny at least.

• You start talking just a little bit, one step at a time, a rare sight seeing Squalo genuinely laugh at something. He enjoys your humor and your brute language, he can now see why you get along with Xanxus.

• You start gossiping with him a lot, he is such a bitch, no wonder Lussuria likes him. As we know, nothing brings you closer than this.

• Anyways, you forgot your furious manchild idiot of a man. And he doesn’t like what he sees, Xanxus unironically thinks you are fucking with Superbia, he is raging and is THIS far from shooting you two

• It’s a long and heated argument, honestly 90% chance it can lead to a break-up. THAT’S IT THANKS FOR READING

• No, but really it’s the first time you have such a scary interaction, it probably includes you having a breakdown.

• Squalo is around there as well, and he is sure to let Xanxus know he won’t let anything happen to you.

• It’s a hard one for your relationship, you probably don’t talk for several days, Squalo will feel guilty despite hating Xanxus with all soul. Xanxus may be a bitch, but you are not.

• Will be your voice of the reason - he can’t and won’t in any way pamper you or pity, but Squalo is good with spitting facts, 10/10 friend material

• Could be having some interactions with Xanxus about the situation, could be not, depends on his mood. But certainly will call his boss a fuck-head

• Sadly, I can’t see your friendship with Squalo go well with Xanxus. Squalo may be the reasonable, but your boyfriend in not

• You both develop a pretty defending relationship, Squalo is sinking with his buds trust me it’s a pride think. So at least you are going to be irritated at him throwing stuff at Squalo -> another argument.

• You don’t go too far though, you both respect each other’s independence and don’t act as mother hen. Rare mature friendship here

• You start going hanging out with Varia a lot, maybe you even meet some of his buds out of Varia. Xanxus is going to be around too btw, some can say he is acting calmer around you

• Squalo is a friend to insult you a lot even as a joke, so thick skin is required. Will be mad at you A LOT, but still is the one to come over at 2am 1000 km away if your car broke down or sum. But if it’s a shitty reason he will get mad and say to fuck your boyfriend’s brain instead.

• Even if you don’t try, you pick up some fencing knowledge lol. Squalo starts rambling a lot and really appreciates you listening. Does so in return, can interrupt you with a dumb joke or some nonsense but just wants to show you he listens

• Squalo can be away for long at missions and develop a habit of bringing you cards with a shitty dad jokes, insults or all together

• You humor synchronizes well, there are a lot of inside jokes, Squalo thinks those are the most important in a friendship lol. Excluding drinking bets

• Has some lines. Won’t get over your house if you are alone. Fair maybe? He wouldn’t be happy if his gf brought Xanxus at their house while he is away. Exception for some emergencies and business questions

• If you ever interested, Squalo will get you tickets to sword fight events. Especially where he participates lol. You don’t have to go, but….he gets you those cause wants to see you ok?? You brobably will go there with Bel or Lussuria

• BROFISTING A LOT AND I WILL DIE ON THAT HILL. Sometimes that piece of shit bumbs you with a metal hand on purpose

• Since you don’t see each other in a sexual or any romantic light at all, Squalo often forgets you are a woman and could be smaller or not so tough (in a physical sense) and can hit you too hard

• You two rating others’ attractiveness 100%💀💀💀💀 Sometimes Luss involved

• It takes a really long time, but the 3am late chats while smoking at a balcony are a thing (I have doomer panelka vibes in my blood, doing that rn whatchu gonna do about it)

• He one day comes you for a serious advice because he’s unsure, and you are the only one Squalo trusts. You appreciate that a lot. Like…a lot

• He will do a lot in return to show his appreciation for your support, you know there is always a man behind your back, ready to catch you if you fall

• I don’t know, to be honest, of Xanxus ever makes peace with your friendship. He is not jealous, it’s about…trust. He is dead inside thinking that in critical situation you can chose Squalo, and Xanxus realizes his tantrums (that fight) break your trust in him even more, which makes Squalo more valuable to you. So in conclusion….Xanxus breaks his life again and is scared.

• But at some point, you don’t have to feel sorry for him, he also wounded you, and he knows that (he should). Squalo 100% will evaluate your ego and aggression a lot, you become confident in protecting your boundaries.

• So if ever Xanxus makes you choose (and holy shit I can imagine him doing this-), you don’t have to chose him just to please him? But it’s hurting someone’s trust either way.

• If you prioritize Xanxus, your relationship with Squalo grow noticeably colder. You obviously won’t develop an “I can’t trust you my life” friendship, but you notice Squalo is not angry about it and even sees a certain reason in your decision. He respects your view on the situation (since you are with Xanxus longer than being friend with Superbia) and sees this as a logical conclusion - that’s the character he likes you because of, ok? You still have a joke here and there or go crazy together rarely just like with any Varia guardian. You will notice Xanxus’ gaze anyway, but it’s a different one - he knows he is the one for you and can’t get enough of that fact.

• Well…….if in the end Xanxus hurts you too much….Squalo is flabbergasted to say the least and feels a lot of responsibility in here secretly, even tho he understands you both are adults + Xanxus can fuck himself piece of shit go and die + voi + ratio. He becomes distant because of this, all while you are weeping here all alone and having second thoughts. I’m the end, he comes at you door in the most Superbia fashion - with a slap and now you have 23 hour training sessions to get your mind clear or sum (he is trying). He gotta get you back to your feet with confidence and pride better as ever, because he is a friend. He goes to help at 2am, gets you when you are all out of breath and here to beat some cense back to you. He helps you get your place in a mafia life once you are chipped off of Xanxus and are all alone, he honestly the one to see you succeed and make yourself a name AND he will hardcore convince you to become a swordsman as well if a potential is seen. It could be decades, but you are still here for Superbia as he is for you, and everyone knows you are always around each other - loud, arrogant, bashful and foul-mouthed. And he still bumps you with a metal hand on purpose istg

[r1nnyhuhh]

ein rant yet again.

this is on nothing in specific I’m just tired and I really do mean it when I say I fucking love this character because ts isn’t even funny anymore I adore him smmm don’t even !!! Idgaf if none of this makes sense yk?? I just love this character so much oh my god. im just gonna get straight to the point because OH MY

Warnings?? Swearing I suppose, my opinions, and spoilers!! (If this is still a spoiler to you, you are like. YEARS late.)

I feel like ein could’ve have a redemption arc. I’m just gonna say it. Do I want him to next season if he comes back? Or s8? No. Not at all. Okay depending on how his char is laid out if laid out at all in s7 MAYBE. But don’t catch me saying “bring him back so he can be innocent again” that’s not what I want. I’m saying redemption in s4 (emerald secret) but he didn’t!! Which I think is epic because the ein content we got in s6? Oooh ml ml mlll <33 anyways!! But yeah I feel like redemption s4 would’ve been very interesting? Yk?? Cause like after aphmau stabbed Aaron I mean I feel like he could’ve said something. But I get being scared having a 6-smth tall adult who’s twice your size, strength (at the time) etc, I WOULD RUN TOO. But idk. I feel like the option was open and ein should’ve tried to make it more obvious he needed “help” even if it wouldn’t or would be given to him! I just think it would be interesting to see his char switch up.

HIS OUTFITS WERE UGLY AS SHIT. I’m just saying. Pdh was like… girl rolls your sleeves down slut, and then his out of school fit? YUCK. I get some people dress like that but holy crap. It doesn’t suit him. AT ALL. Whimpering and whining. Or being a dick, IT DIDN’T MATCH HIS CHARACTER. IM SORRY. Not really. Emerald secret? Honetly. It was the best one of the bunch because… I have no idea for certain what he was wearing. That’s why it’s good! Because I have no idea what I was looking at. Then waf… why was he wearing jorts and why was he wearing a zip up sweater or smth without an under shirt?? He also had it zipped down to be a v-neck. So what is he trying to tell us. IDK.

his scars!!:

I LOVE HIS SCARS SO SO MUCH. I wouldn’t doubt he has way more than shown on his Minecraft character, so in pdh s2 it’s confirmed he got the ones of his face from fights! And the ones on his arms I think?? HOWEVER. I feel like they look more fresh in s6. He also had new ones! One under his eye(might’ve been a singular eye bag though I doubt it) and one further up his like… face. They looked fresh! He also had one on his inner arm? Like. I’m talking where you’re elbow creases or smth it looks deep too! Which I find interesting. So he clearly got some new scars whether that be from Micheal / team emerald, or being torn apart by wolves. I think he would have more scars on his actual body though because of how he looked torn up!! There was one like. On his abdomen/ near his chest? Idk how to explain it.

I think he’s cute. Like. Like. COME ON. He was really cute!! I might be insane for that but all I can say is that he’s a cutie patootie and you cannot prove me wrong.

Random as crap but I love learning and talking about him and observing his char I won’t lie. And like… because his character as an antagonist is so good. No I don’t think there’s enough context why at all. Because I get the subtle hints I do. I love picking up small things about his character I love having 1 on 1s with my oomf talking about him!! But OH MY WORD. Please. I wish some things were altered. Because not everyone will pick up on these things Jess put out to hint or get people thinking and making theory’s. HOW ROUGH HIS VOICE GOT FOR ONE. Play like. The first clip of his voice you find to the last. It’s not funny bro. Or even his voice when he was talking TO THE DEMON WARLOCK. (In the trailer to s6) it was so rough and monotone I adore it. LIKE IT HURTS ME SO MUCH for people to ignore things about him or hate him for no reason </3 PLEASE get creative. I can understand if you like don’t care about his character?? But he’s genuinely a good misunderstood antagonist. Even if we may not “understand” or “figure out” anything. There’s obviously something going on with him and like,,, team emerald and I will make an entire different rant on that.

side note on the topic of ein and team emerald! I feel like people tend to mischaracterize him with this. I feel like I can confidently say people mischaracterize him with the amount I know, and watch, and understand about him but that’s just an opinion! But like,, I feel like they do! Which annoys me. If you’re going to headcanon and point out experimentation that was MOST LIKELY DONE TO HIM. Please. Please make it more than just about abuse. Because it’s not just physical no way it is. Micheal got into his head hello?? Like literally. I’m almost convinced ein was like… under some weird forever potion like the ability for the one who gave it to him to see through his eyes almost like a host yk? It’s mental. It’s physical. It’s a matter of things! And that’s my opinion but I feel like most times I see people write or talk about ein and Micheal content (notice I say most times some of yall know what you’re doing.) they just… do the basics? Which i understand! You don’t want to look into yeah yeah yeah,, but come on… make it more than just “oh here’s this devious potions gain powers, let me hit you because you pmo boy!” PLEASE. Idk if that makes sense to get upset about..,,,

I cough profusely!,,??

ANYWAYS. I just wanted to share a few things about ein, idk… I really do love his character!! :3 if chat has any questions about him lock in and ask if you want! Or if you want my takes idk! :3

(I apologize for any misspells or if things don’t make sense…)

rinny out! :P

[aajjks]

TPOL!JK

“…if you ignore me, then i ignore the baby. and if the baby is ignored…there will be no baby.”

you don’t respond, but the threat is made clear. your appetite disappears when jungkook sits down, but you know better than to not eat in front of him. you cut a small piece of the omelet and eat it, forcing yourself to eat the breakfast and fruit under jungkook’s intense gaze. you’re relieved when he rises to wash his empty plate in the kitchen, leaving you alone at the table.

this house doesn’t feel like home anymore, and it’s all your fault. at first, you looked at your bump as a possibility for jungkook to overcome his fear and bring you both closer. but now, it feels like…things just don’t feel the same anymore.

•••

“that’s because you never let things go,” says your mother, “arguments happen all of the time in marriages, y/n, but it’ll get better. you love him, don’t you? jungkook has moved on, and so should you.” maybe confiding in your mother wasn’t the best idea. of course, you lied and sugar-coated the real issue, but your mother’s words do little to reassure you.

you know she adores jungkook and believes he’s good for you, so calling her wouldn’t have helped anyway. “you’re right,” you respond, your tone dry and empty, “thanks mom.” your mother sighs, “it’ll get better, sweetheart. just talk to him,” you sigh, “okay.” after the conversation with your mother, you go outside and find your unfinished garden along with the tiger lily seeds you wanted to grow.

you suppose you should finish it and buy some flowers that will blossom in autumn. finally, you have something to distract you..

~🫧

Jungkook barely hears the voices in the boardroom.

The numbers.

The projections.

The proposals.

It’s all noise.

He sits at the head of the long, polished table, watching people that piss him off he hates interacting with people, but he has no choice.

JHIC is thriving. His hotels stretch across continents, a growing empire that bends to his will.

Deals are closing. Investments are doubling. Everything is in order.

Except you.

His jaw tightens as his mind drifts back to you, to the way you barely spoke to him this morning, to the way you chewed your food so carefully, like you were forcing it down just for him.

You think you’re so subtle.

You think he doesn’t notice.

He does.

And it pisses him off.

A voice cuts through his thoughts. “Sir?”

Jungkook blinks, his dark eyes snapping to the man across the table. The executive shrinks under his gaze.

“You were saying?” Jungkook asks smoothly, though his patience is thinning.

The man clears his throat. “Uh, the Tokyo expansion, sir. We need your final approval on the contract.”

Jungkook exhales through his nose, flicking his gaze to the papers in front of him. With a sharp stroke of his pen, he signs without a second glance.

“Next,” he commands.

The meeting continues. More approvals, more decisions.

More distractions from the one thing he really wants to deal with.

You.

Halfway through the day, he pulls out his phone, pressing your contact without hesitation.

The phone rings. Once. Twice.

Then, your voice. Soft. Quiet.

“Hello?”

His grip tightens on the device.

“What are you doing?” he asks, his voice low, controlled.

A pause. Then, you reply.

Gardening.

Jungkook leans back in his chair, his tongue pressing against his cheek. He can hear the hint of defiance in your voice, the way you’re trying to act normal.

It’s cute.

And fucking irritating.

“Did you eat?” he asks, even though he already knows the answer.

“And your vitamins?”

Silence.

He waits.

You don’t say anything else.

His fingers drum against the desk. “I love you.”

Nothing.

His eyes darken.

“I said, I love you.”

Another pause. Then, finally, a soft, hesitant, you say something and that’s enough for him.

Jungkook smirks.

“Good girl.”

Then, he hangs up.

The rest of the day drags, filled with endless meetings, but his mood has shifted.

Because tonight, he’ll be home.

And he’s in the mood to remind you exactly who you belong to.

•••

The house is quiet when Jungkook steps inside.

Too quiet.

He sets his briefcase down, rolling his shoulders as he walks through the dimly lit space, his eyes scanning for you.

He finds you in the bedroom, curled up on the bed, scrolling through your phone.

You don’t look up when he enters.

Jungkook shuts the door. Locks it.

Then, he moves.

He strips off his blazer, tossing it onto the chair. Unbuttons the cuffs of his dress shirt, rolling them up slowly, his movements lazy but deliberate.

Still, you don’t look at him.

That’s fine.

Because you will.

Jungkook walks over, standing at the edge of the bed. He watches you for a moment, his gaze heavy, before he reaches down and takes your phone from your hands.

You finally look up.

And he smirks.

“Come here,” he murmurs, his voice deeper, rougher.

You hesitate.

Jungkook doesn’t.

He grips your ankle, tugging you toward him until you’re at the edge of the bed. His hands slide up your legs, pushing your dress higher, his fingers tracing your skin like he owns it.

Because he does.

His lips find your neck, warm and slow, pressing kisses that are almost gentle. Almost.

But then he bites.

Not hard. Just enough.

His fingers tilt your chin up, forcing you to look at him.

“You ignored me today,” he murmurs, his breath hot against your lips. “That wasn’t very nice.”

His hands tighten around your thighs, spreading them slightly as he presses himself between them.

“You want to be a good wife, don’t you?” he whispers, his nose brushing against yours. “A good mommy?”

His hand drags over your stomach, possessive.

“Then don’t make me remind you again.”

His lips capture yours, and this time, he doesn’t let you pull away.

[asterifish]

Watching the stars... / Minchan

Synopsis: Minho and Chan have been close friends since they were little. Minho often complained or rambled a lot, and Chan loved to listen to him. As they grew older, Chan got feelings for Minho. He wanted Minho to stay with him forever, but didn't know how to tell him.

Type: One-shot (Words: 689)

Genre: Fluff, slight angst

TW!!: Mentions of abuse, self harm, and suicide

“Chan, are you sure this is a good idea?” Minho asked, clinging to Chan’s arm tightly. It was late at night and the two had been sneaking around the royal castle. It was a cool night, and the wind was blowing through Minho’s hair, making him seem more beautiful. They were currently on the roof, observing the night sky.

“Of course I do, Min! Just trust me, okay? C’mon let's sit down.” Chan responded, a wide smile on his face. After helping the younger sit down, Chan sat and scooted close. “Anything you want to talk about? I noticed you've been spacing out a lot.” Chan nudged Minho’s shoulder, earning a grunt from the other.

“Not really…. I’ve just been thinking about the future. Mom’s been nagging me about getting a job or going to college but I just,” Minho paused and sighed, “I don't know what I want to do, Chan.” leaning back, Minho let the cold air wash over his face.

After thinking about what Minho had said, Chan nudged him with a chuckle. “You could be my bodyguard! You certainly qualify for it, and honestly you wouldn't have to do much.”

That was the first hint.

A few months later, it was Minho’s birthday. Chan had gotten matching earrings for them. The roof had become their hangout spot, but when Chan got up the the roof, Minho wasn’t there. “Min? Are you hiding from me?” Chan called, looking around. When he didn't find his friend, he immediately jumped off the roof and ran straight for Minho’s house.

As he got closer to his friend's house, Chan could hear yelling and banging. Kicking down the front door, Chan was met with a terrible sight. Minho was on the floor, blood coming from his forehead and a few scratches on his arms. “Min! Holy.. are you okay?”

Running over to his friend, he blocked a hit from Minho’s father as he picked up the younger boy and ran out of the house. He didn’t stop running until they’d reached the castle. Putting Minho down, Chan knelt next to him. “What happened in there?”

Minho winced as he tried to sit up, but pushed Chan’s hand away. “I’m fine.” Chan blinked slowly at Minho and sighed. “No you’re not, Min! Your father was beating you!?” Ignoring Minho’s protests, Chan picked up his friend again and carried him to his bedroom. While he got his first aid kit, he asked Minho to tell him everything.

After a few moments of silence, Minho spoke. “He hits us all the time. Me and my mother. It… started a few years ago. He;d come home one day, furious. He’d picked up the first thing he could get his hands on and threw it at my mother. I….” Minho stopped and stifled a sob as Chan hugged him.

“Take your time Min, and remember you don’t have to tell me, okay?” Chan reassured the younger. Scooting closer, Chan pulled Minho into him. Burying his face into Chan’s chest, Minho tried to take deep breaths to calm down.

This was the second hint, more subtle than the last.

Summertime was always a busy time for the kingdom. Minho finally took up the position of Chan’s bodyguard, and he got to experience so many cool things. Chan loved spoiling the younger whenever he could. “Here Min! Come look at this!” Chan called, ushering Minho over. In his hands, Chan had a bright moon decoration. Minho took it, being careful as to not break it. “It’s…. pretty!” he whispered.

Watching Minho’s reaction, Chan smiled and took the decoration out of Minho’s hands. With the seller’s permission, Chan clipped it to Minho’s halo before stepping back to admire it. The shopkeeper handed Minho a mirror so he could see it for himself. “It fits you well, sir!” The shopkeeper smiled. Looking over at Chan, Minho couldnt help but smile. His friend was smiling brightly, and minho couldnt help but feel like Chan was admiring him. Looking into his eyes, and then looking away when he caught Minho looking at him.

This, was the third and final hint.

Hello! Author here. I just wanted to say that this will be a mini series of four. I'll be using the beautiful creations that @solastalgiart has made. Please support them as well! In all honesty, this didn't high how I thought it would, so I might re-do it a bit later.

[coqhee]

STRATEGY

✷ a step by step tutorial on how to get into yang jungwon’s stubborn and dumb heart using wikihow!

day 14 of melodies to memories ― y.jw︲f reader︲fluff, comedy︲1400

prom wasn’t long away, yet why hadn’t yang jungwon asked you out?

you were basically already dating with the way he’d always saving you a seat at lunch, walking you to class, and texting you late into the night.

maybe he was just waiting on you to say something first, and you know what? you were going to make the first move. by making him ask you out obviously. 

you caught him after class one day, leaning against the lockers with his headphones draped around his neck.

“hey,” you started, trying to keep your tone light. “are you planning to go to prom?”

jungwon looked at you, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. “depends.”

“on what?”

“on who I’m going with,” he said smoothly, a cocky grin widening.

this isn’t going to do. new plan. wikihow.

─── ♡

STEP 1: LET HIM KNOW YOU’RE INTERESTED

get to know him

flirt

body language

getting to know yang jungwon was easy. you were already friends with him so check! next part.

wait.

flirt?

with yang jungwon? not going to happen. no way. next part.

body language. okay.

you decided to test out your newfound knowledge the next time you and jungwon hung out. it was a saturday afternoon, and the two of you were sprawled out on his couch, a random movie playing in the background as he scrolled through his phone.

you started small, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear every now and then, making sure it looked natural. when he glanced at you, you leaned in slightly, angling your body toward him like wikihow said.

"you good?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"yeah, why?" you replied, feigning innocence.

he shrugged, smirking. "nothing. you’re just... fidgety."

oh right you forgot to look at the floor, because it makes you look cute. at least according to wikihow.

“you keep looking at the floor,” jungwon said, sitting up now. “is there something on it? like a bug?”

“no!” you exclaimed, a little too quickly.

“then why do you keep staring at it like it’s gonna talk to you?”

you wanted to melt into the couch. “i don’t know, maybe I just like floors, okay?”

jungwon seemed completely unbothered, leaning back and stretching. “you’re lucky you’re fun to hang out with, though. otherwise, i’d think you were plotting something.”

you tried to brush it off, but the warmth in your chest betrayed you. so maybe wikihow wasn’t working right now, but there were more steps left to try... right?

─── ♡

STEP 2: DROP HINTS

use common knowledge to your advantage

have your friends drop hints

talk about your plans

okay this step wasn’t too bad. this has got to propel you towards him asking you out to prom.

when you told your friends of your plan, they thought you had lost it. actually this time.

more specifically when you asked them to drop hints by bringing the two of you up more often as an item.

“so, let me get this straight,” giselle said, narrowing her eyes. “you want us to casually bring you and jungwon up in conversation, like... as a couple?”

“yes,” you said with conviction, ignoring her skeptical look.

“subtle, right?” sunoo piped up, raising an eyebrow.

“exactly. not too obvious, just enough to plant the idea in his head,” you clarified, determined.

giselle snorted. “subtle isn’t exactly my strong suit, but sure.”

you watched from afar as giselle ran up to jungwon yelling something.

“jungwon! you know y/n likes you right?”

that’s not a hint. what the hell. does she know remotely what subtle is?

“okay okay what do you really want now, my chem notes?” he laughed and brushed her comment off. she looked to you and shrugged.

it’s okay, you didn’t complete the last part of this step. though you felt an immeasurable amount of dread.

the next day in class after putting your bag down, you approached his desk, playing with his pencil.

“hey you know i’m going to the movies this week right?” you asked.

“oh nice, have fun, what movie by the way?” he smiled giving an oblivious smile. if only he knew.

you blinked, not expecting that response. “… yeah, I mean, it’s supposed to be a fun movie. romantic comedies are always better in theaters, right?”

“sure,” he said, still doodling, completely unfazed.

your brain scrambled for something else to say, something that could salvage this interaction. “you know, it’s the kind of movie that’s probably better with… company.”

he stopped drawing, finally looking at you properly, though his expression was unreadable.

“then why don’t you take giselle?” he asked, leaning back in his chair, tilting his head, reading your expression. though you wouldn’t have noticed the look he was giving you, begging you to ask him to go.

you wanted to scream. you wanted to crawl under a rock. you wanted to fall into a blackhole and have it spaghetti noodle you up like the many articles you’ve read.

you just wanted to yell at him that you liked him. though you weren’t sure if he’d get the message even at that.

maybe it’s time you finish all the steps.

─── ♡

STEP 3: KNOW WHAT NOT TO DO

avoid the friendzone

avoid letting him know how much you want to go out with him

don’t wait around too long

wait.

that’s it.

maybe you’re just in the friendzone?

the thought made your stomach sink, and for the first time, doubt crept into your master plan.

maybe it’s time to give up, you thought with a sigh. but before you could let defeat settle in, giselle, snatched your phone out of your hand.

“what the hell are you moping about?” she asked, reading the screen. her face scrunched up in exaggerated disbelief. “you? friendzoned? please, y/n. the boy is always staring at you. just yesterday, he literally paused mid-bite of his sandwich when you walked in.”

“that doesn’t mean anything,” you muttered, crossing your arms defensively.

giselle rolled her eyes, dragging you up from your chair. “okay, first of all, you’re not giving up. second, you’re doing something big. we’re skipping to the final step.”

“what’s the final step?” you asked warily.

she smirked. “you’re just going to ask him yourself.”

you froze. “absolutely not. that’s—”

“y/n!”

jungwon called with a smile waving his hand over. you looked back to giselle as if she was going to create some sort of comfort, but no. she pushed you forward towards the boy whispering something that you couldn’t hear.

“hi won,” you greeted with some sort of a smile.

“so,” he trailed off. “so,” you prompted him back

“prom.”

“yeah what about it? it’s this weekend and..?”

jungwon scratched the back of his neck, “well, i was wondering if, uh, you…” he hesitated, glancing away for a split second before locking eyes with you again. “…if you’d go with me.”

your heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, you thought you misheard him. “wait, what?”

his lips quirked up in a lopsided grin, the confidence creeping back into his demeanor. “prom. you. me. together. what do you think?”

“not as like, friends right. or maybe as friends, which way are you asking?” you asked nervously.

“not as friends,”

“oh,” you managed to say, your voice a little higher-pitched than normal. “well, in that case…”

he raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth quirking up in a teasing smile. “you gonna keep me waiting, or…?”

“no!” you said quickly, shaking your head. “i mean—yes. not yes to keeping you waiting. yes to—”

jungwon chuckled, cutting off your rambling. “i get it. it’s a yes.”

“yes,” you repeated, this time with more confidence, a grin spreading across your face.

“good,” he said, his smile softening as he glanced down for a second, then back up at you. “because i’ve been wanting to ask you for a while now. just didn’t want to mess it up.”

“mess it up? jungwon, you’re like, the last person who could mess this up.”

“yeah?” he asked, his tone lighter now. “you think i’m that smooth?”

“not really,” you teased, a playful glint in your eyes. “but i think i like you anyway.”

his grin grew wider, and for a moment, the usual confident, composed jungwon seemed almost bashful. “good to know,” he said, his voice dropping slightly. “because i like you too.”

maybe wikihow did have the answers all along. the answer of a strategy on how to get yang jungwon to ask you out to prom.

─── ♡

a/n: happy day 14 of melodies to memories!! not going to be awake for this one so my perm tl will be tagged on this post rather than in the reblog hehe >< I've been LOVING strategy by twice it's so brain itch afhuidjg,, all likes, comments, reblogs appreciated.

melodies to memories tl (open!): @pshwrldd @hhmnya@wonsdoll@lovuegi

perm 🏷️(reply/send ask to this post to be added): @wonsdoll @suneng @heeambi @anqelkoz @who-tf-soddhi @cupidhoons @kiss4noo @nooyork

@ coqhee 2024. all rights reserved.

[automatismoateo]

Using dating apps in a Muslim country as someone who isn't religious...is something everyone should try via /r/atheism

Using dating apps in a Muslim country as someone who isn't religious...is something everyone should try

I live in the Middle-East. Raised Muslim, and left a few years ago.

Let me clue you in on my dating life in a predominantly Muslim country, that is pretty much an alt right kid's wet dream, but also extremely prude since dating is a sin. I'm a pansexual dude, I think everyone is gorgeous, but I definitely won't use dating apps when I'm looking for men, or make it evident that I'm LGBT, because cops hunt people like me through catfishing them on dating apps. Fortunately, not a problem for me. I prefer women anyway, they're cool. Of course... can't say I'm non religious in the bio because it's just not safe for me.

I know it's dumb as someone who's non-religious and queer to try and find someone like-minded here, but I was too curious to ignore what this exotic "Tinder and bumble Muslim dating" had to offer. My strategy was to look for people that have the slightest hint of liberalism, open-mindedness , people that had bios that were interesting, and people that weren't looking for anything long-term (meant they're probably not dating to marry). My goal here was to find a needle in a haystack basically, so I kept my expectations very low and had to be very picky.

I spent a lot of time swiping left. Every-one was the same, every profile looked bland, and every fake profile can be spotted a mile away. Most bios had the same disclaimer : "no sexting, no harassment, no hookups, please keep it halal". It was sad but not surprising. A prude and sexually repressed society breeds depraved men that can't control themselves, and a religion like Islam would only make a woman look like a sex trophy, an object successful men claim. Also wym keep it halal? You're on a dating app honey, dating is a sin and your hijab is not hijabing lol. Anyways, I went out on 4 dates after having many one-sided conversations with other matches. It felt like I was trying to work on a group project with a partner that's lazy.

Girl 1 : (my first date ever at 21 years old) went surprisingly well. I don't get nervous or awkward or cringe ever, which could mean that I'm a sociopath, or that I have a super power. Whatever it is, it definitely helped me and my date out because she was really nervous, she even pointed out how nervous she was in the beginning. I cracked jokes to get her to chill, I speak slowly and calmly to get her to mirror the calm behavior too, a few compliments here and there, only subtle flirting so I don't overwhelm her, and I distract her from the tension by asking her a few questions about herself and letting her do the talking for a little while. We were both interested in philosophy, so we talk about it, and I tell her I'm not that religious when we talked about Nietzsche, the conversation gets a little shallow, I change the subject and we move on. Rest of the date was great, she was interactive, she flirted back, and she wasn't nervous any more. I text her after the date saying she was lovely and that I had fun, she says she thought I was great too, but she didn't want to go any further. I tell her it's totally fine, and I wish her luck. (This was the best scenario I could ever ask for, she was great)

Girl 2 : We message each other. It was smooth, and we set up a date. Date also goes well, except she threw me off a little because she didn't like that I'm a smoker (it obviously was clear in my bio that I'm a smoker, so she didn't pay attention 🚩). It's understandable, I chill out, and put the cigarettes away. When it was time to pay for the food, she asked me if I'm going to pay. I tell her something along the lines of "in this economy?". We split the bill in the end, and she gives me a lecture on how that's not what a man should do. Yes she lectured me like a mother would because she's and I quote "34 and I'm 21". She said I should take her advice as someone who's more experienced than I am. Now....Her bio said she was 25, and she looked 27. What the fuck. I had to drive her home in silence, while getting this talk about how much "potential I had", and that she's willing to give me a chance and guide me through my adulthood until we get married in the next few months. It was pretty weird. When she messaged me that night, I told her that I wasn't interested in going on a second date. She still persisted so I ghosted. To be very honest here, she was kinda attractive , and my inner coomer was whispering in my earholes telling me to go for it, but I still got weirded out.

Girl 3: We messaged each other, she was pretty dry, I shouldn't have kept going with someone not reciprocating the effort, but I did. I point out that don't pay for first dates, she asks why. I say "well, I don't really know you that much yet.". In reality, I prefer splitting the bill because you're not my fucking princess to spoil, you're a big girl now, get a job, pay for your own shit, and let me pay for my own shit. She said ok, and we go on the date. Date turns into an interview. She asks me what I do for work, without answering what she does for work, she asks me questions about Islam, dodges my questions about herself. My favorite part was when she asks "what would you do?" Questions. Like "what would you do, if another man started sexually harassing me right now in front of you?" Or "what would you do if my father doesn't accept your dowry". We kept talking about gender roles and I tried to be as conservative and macho as I can just to end it quicker. Date ends, I expected that we split the bill, and guess what? She didn't bring any money, and I had to pay for it. I drove her home, and that was it, she called me the next day and told her I'm not interested.

Girl 4: Very upbeat and lively, she was into Roblox and read a lot of romance novels. I'm also a huge fan of corny clichès and high quality smut, so it looked good. I bring up a book that had queer main characters in it, just to see her reaction, and she was Pro-LGBT! This was huge. I immediately ask her out, we go to a coffee shop, and the date was fun as hell. Up until the moment I talked to her about the book I told her about. I asked her if she thinks the LGBT community would ever have rights in our country. She says "I hope so, but not the they/thems and trans people"..... I was on a date with a TERF. I was so lucky I didn't tell her I'm pansexual, because if she found out I liked enbies too , she would've snitched 100%. She also got pissed when I told her I wanted to split the bill because she thought I was kidding. It was heartbreaking, she was really cool.

So yeah. These were all the dates I've been to over the course of half a year swiping left and rarely swiping right on dating apps. My parents are starting to convince me to have an arranged marriage, which is a huge fucking no no for me. I already expressed to them that they don't have any influence in my life decisions anymore, as I'm my own person now, but they can't comprehend that just like all Muslim parents. I mean I literally would be disowned if I moved out on my own before being married, but because I'm a guy they're eventually easing up to the idea. If I was a girl that would be blasphemy though...so. let's hope I don't get a blind date with my parents being active members in it.

Submitted July 19, 2023 at 05:38PM by blizzard_of-oz (From Reddit https://ift.tt/0kEt43m)